The Sight
by Dark-Dreymer
Summary: Giles is a mild-mannered librarian, who knows nothing of the supernatural world. He's curious about the hunky construction worker, who comes in regularly to research in the occult section. Giles/Xander. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_Public Library.  
__Sunnydale.  
__California.  
__Fall, 2003._

Most people when meeting Alexander Harris for the first time would notice two things; the first being that he wore a patch over his left eye and the second that this did not detract from his handsomeness, if anything it served to give him a rather roguish charm. Rupert Giles was different from most people in this respect, because while he observed both of these things as everyone did the observation of the eye patch served as an almost casual afterthought to the immediate appreciation of the other man's attractive form.

At the time of this first meeting neither man knew the other's name of course. Xander had simply stopped briefly at the information desk to ask which of the numerous sections in the Sunnydale Library housed the Occult texts, gave a smile and a nod of thanks to Rupert when he had been given his answer and headed over.

It was the immediate appreciation that caused Rupert's gaze to follow the stranger's journey to the Occult section and watch as he set down his satchel, shrugged out of his jacket and turned to peruse the varying books lining the – in Rupert's opinion at least – overly extensive shelves. He had to abandon his observations long enough to check out a copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for eight-year-old Jenny Wren and when he turned back to watch again the one-eyed man had selected an assortment of books and sat down at a table to read.

Over the next two hours Rupert continued through the motions of his job, but at each spare moment he inevitably found himself spying on the man in the Occult section. It wasn't very interesting, he observed a good deal of page turning and at one point he witnessed notes of some form being written in a ring-bound pad retrieved from the satchel; but after two hours the stranger returned the books to their appropriate places on the shelves, gathered his belongings and left the library.

This pattern occurred every week day for several weeks. Rupert, in his youth a rather personable chap, had become more retiring in personality since moving to America and struggled to strike up conversation with the man with whom he was bordering on the point of obsession. Normally he found the task of rounding up books left abandoned by absent-minded or neglectful patrons to be a rather irksome chore but he found himself beginning to wish this captivating stranger would do so just once so that he may understand why he returned week after week to the Occult section and perhaps from that find the first thread of a conversation; but it was never so.

In the end, determined to discover what the stranger was studying, Rupert formulated something of a plan. In the weeks that the object of his interest had been visiting the library Rupert had learned that he always seemed to arrive at about the same time, expecting this he visited the Occult section and removed a select few books; drawing them at random. That done he returned to position at his desk and awaited the arrival of the young man.

The hands of the clock seemed still, each time Rupert cast them an agitated look they barely seemed to have moved at all. He checked out a copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for Jenny Wren and watched the argument between her and her mother over whom should carry it home, the young girl clutching it close to her chest as if it were something precious and the mother critically analyzing the high page count and the chance it could do damage to her daughter's arm muscles. Still the clock seemed still.

Papers were shifted until the entire stack was perfectly aligned and parallel to front of the desk. Still the man hadn't arrived. Rupert wandered to the other end of the library and fussed about in the poetry section but when he returned the man was as absent as before. It was now quarter past the hour, fifteen minutes after the one-eyed man would normally be present. _Perhaps_, Rupert worried, _suppose he's already learned whatever it is he was searching for. Suppose he never comes back and I've wasted my chance to speak with him._ But in the midst of his fretting the stranger jogged up to the door; rosy-cheeked from the cold breeze and slightly out of breath from his exertion. He smiled brightly at Rupert as he passed by and then took up his usual place among the Occult books.

Stomach squirming slightly from the bright, happy smile that had been directed at him Rupert dropped his gaze to the collection of books he'd taken. One was entitled 'Healing Crystals and You', two seemed to be spell books and a fourth instructed in the translation of runes. Along with these there was another book, a flimsy paperback with a risqué illustration on the front cover and the title 'The Sorceror's Love'. Rupert was familiar with this genre of book, Elizabeth had gone through a thankfully short-lived phase of reading similar titles; as nostalgia inducing as it may have been the book had no place in the Occult section, so Rupert set it aside to be correctly shelved later and gathered up the other books. Aiming for nonchalant Rupert approached the Occult section and the young man he'd been spying on for nearly a month and set about returning the looted books to their place.

He had been so busy with his own new technique for observation that Rupert had failed to notice until he got close that the one-eyed man had changed his actions too. Where as before he had always sat with a selection of books to peruse he now had a set of cards arranged on the table in a peculiar, but noticeably deliberate pattern. Some of the cards lay face down but as Rupert watched the young man reached forward and turned one of the cards over, he then consulted a thick tome which seemed to be full of matching illustrations and a lot of flowing handwriting.

In his more youthful years Rupert and a group of close friends had rebelled from the constrictive order of their parents; among the numerous activities they engaged in was the practice of magic. None of them had genuinely believed that they were doing magic, but the game was more about making their parents think that they did believe than in any of the rituals themselves. It had been a rather short-lived phase but it nonetheless gave Rupert a rudimentary knowledge of Tarot.  
"I'm not familiar with this deck." Over three weeks of silence and _that_ was the line he chose to engage this extraordinarily appealing young man in conversation? Rupert sighed internally to himself as he reflected upon it; he would rather have appeared witty, perhaps charming, instead of ignorant but at least he finally had the attention he'd been looking for.  
"It's a very rare set," The stranger informed him, there was a slight tilt to the corner of his mouth as he spoke as though he were amused by some private joke, "They belonged to my Great Aunt." With that he turned back to the book.  
Not wanting the conversation to be over so swiftly Rupert swiftly asked the next thing that came to mind, "Are they for reading the future?"  
The stranger turned back to him, there was some unreadable expression on his face. Rupert sincerely hoped it was surprise at his interest and not irritation at being bothered, "Sort of." One hand wobbled in the air for a moment in a gesture of ambivalence, "They're for asking questions."

Seeing that he had Rupert's interest the stranger gestured for the librarian to take a seat which Rupert did gladly. "First there's the Judge card," The younger man pointed to one of the few cards that lay face up, it sat at the very top of the pattern, "It determines the nature of the question you're asking: who, what, when, where, whatever..." His voice trailed off as he traced a hand along the tabletop, below the Judge card lay fifteen cards arranged in a circle – most of them face down – in the center of this circle was another face up card, it was this card the man came to next, "The Accused card. It's what you already know, see you have to know something already to give the cards a point of reference. Then there's the Witness cards..." A circular gesture indicated the circle of cards surrounding the Accused, "They're what give the answers."  
"So the cards all have meanings?" Rupert guessed, looking at one of the upturned Witness cards.  
"Lots of different meanings, which is fun." A forced grin accompanied the sarcastic words, "Which is why I have this," The young man tapped the book full of flowing handwriting, "It has all the meanings, so all I have to do it decode it."  
"So which card do you turn next?" Rupert found himself surprised by his own interest.  
"Any of the Witness cards. You've just gotta get a feel for one. Try it."  
"Oh." Interested though he may be, Rupert felt a great reluctance for actual involvement, "I shouldn't, I wouldn't want to make a mistake."  
"Go ahead, this reading's already messed up anyway." The young man closed the book of meanings and turned to watch the librarian.  
Rupert looked back for a few moments before dropping his gaze to the cards, for a man with only one eye this stranger sure knew how to pack intensity into a stare. Reaching for the card nearest him Rupert's fingertips hovered in the air above for a few seconds before retreating, somehow he got the feeling taking the nearest card would make it appear as if he was not interested; and despite this rather bizarre turn of events the librarian had not forgotten his aim to try and make a good impression. The next temptation was to take the card furthest away, but that was just as simple. Rupert cast his gaze about the full circle for what felt like quite some time before settling on the card just to the left of the one he'd first selected. Flipping the card he found he'd chosen 'The Physician'.

"That's..." The young man's face screwed up in puzzlement before flipping open the book of meanings once more. He flicked through the pages before settling on a page titled the same as the card Rupert had just flipped, he skimmed the first few paragraphs before stopping and sitting still for a few moments.  
"It's?" Rupert prompted, reminding the young man he'd trailed off.  
"Nothing!" He was quick to respond, forcefully and rather unconvincingly, "It's nothing, just..." He trailed off once more and began gathering the cards. Once the deck was stacked he slid it away into an envelope and returned it and the book of meanings to his satchel. His movements were somewhat robotic, his one intact eye betrayed the fact that his mind was somewhere else. Standing up he turned to observe the shelves for a few moments before pulling out a single book, "Could I get this out?" He asked, turning to look at Rupert once more.  
"O-Of course." The strangeness of the situation had for a moment caused Rupert to forget where they were. Standing up he returned to the desk with the young fortune teller trailing along behind.

When they reached the desk and each stood silent, expectant for a few seconds the young man seemed to realize something was wrong, "What's up?"  
"I'm waiting for you to give me your library card," Rupert informed patiently, a hint of amusement in his voice where with others there would probably have been ire.  
"Oh right, library card." The young man grinned for a moment before lowering his gaze to the desk and mumbling quietly, "How, uh, how would I get one of those?"  
"It's quite simple." Falling into familiar routine Rupert called up the data entry screen at the desk terminal that would allow for creating a new account, "I simply need two forms of picture ID."  
The young man pulled out his wallet and swiftly handed over an ID card. Rupert was glad to finally be able to put a name to the young man. "Does it, uh, does it have to be two forms of ID?" Xander asked while still flipping through his wallet.  
"That is the policy, yes."  
"I don't suppose you'd take Poetic License would you?" The young man held up what was clearly a novelty identification card, the picture showing him making a rather goofy face.  
"It's got your date of birth on it, that's enough." The librarian tried not to smile and set about inputting the necessary data into the system; in total it took less than five minutes.

"Your card will be mailed to the address you gave me and should arrive in approximately two weeks," Rupert informed while busily stamping the book Xander wished to borrow, "Until then you may only borrow books on a short-term loan of five days, once your card arrives you must bring it with you to be able to check out a book for the long-term limit of three weeks." Book fully stamped and demagnetized Rupert handed it over.  
"Thanks..." Xander paused in placing the book in his satchel.  
"Rupert," The librarian supplied readily.  
"Rupert," Xander grinned, "You've been a real help. I guess I'll see you around."  
"Yes, I expect you will." Happy with that reply Xander turned and left the library.

Rupert watched the young man go feeling a light, happy sort of buzz. He hummed slightly as he set about straightening out the pile of papers that were still perfectly parallel to the front of the desk and it was while he was doing so that he noticed the silly romance novel still waiting to be returned to the shelves. He hadn't paid much attention to the illustration on the cover before, merely observing two forms locked in an embrace, but now he noticed that the figure he presumed was the sorceror of the title had a patch over one eye. It was simple coincidence and yet Rupert found himself suddenly interested. The blurb betrayed the cliché nature of the book and yet the strange whim that had led the librarian to take an interest in the book also compelled him to check it out under his own account.

That evening when the library closed and Rupert left doubts began to creep into his mind, as efficiently as the harsh autumnal winds crept through the folds of his coat. After three weeks of silent watching managing to speak to Xander and learning his name was certainly progress, but he was still little more than an acquaintance which was no cause for celebration. On top of that his talk with Xander was not anything of real substance, he knew precious little about the younger man except that he seemed to use a truly mad set of playing cards for guidance. How had that managed to captivate him so? He tolerated the Occult but only because most of society seemed to accept it for the nonsense that it was, yet he had sat and listened with rapt interest just because some pretty young thing was blathering about it. Forcing the key into the lock of the car door with more force than was strictly necessary Rupert breathed out in a long, tension relieving hiss.

_Household of Hanuk.  
__Dayl.  
__Sun Province.  
__New Kingdom._

_Beset, the eldest daughter of Hanuk was not fortunate in love. Three lovers had taken carnal knowledge of her but none wished to be wed. Many of the citizens would make jest at her expense, some would say she had angered the gods and her life of solitude was just punishment._

_Hanuk did not hear these words himself, he was a leading general in the recent war with Nubia that had led to much prosperity for Egypt as a whole and Dayl specifically and as such was respected by the populace, but he understood the nature of their hushed whisperings and despaired. Beset was dear to him and he wished for her to have all her heart desired but he was not prepared for whom she would choose as her most recent lover. Beset had developed a romantic attachment to a slave of the household. An enslaved citizen of the fallen Kingdom of Nubia he was presented as a gift to the Great General Hanuk when he displayed a proficiency for sorcery. It had been his duty since his arrival at the household to entertain important guests with his feats and tricks._

_Normally such matters would lead to the death of the slave and a severe punishment for the daughter who would dare to sully herself in such a way, but Hanuk's weak heart had him follow a different path. He discussed the matter with the young man and admired the true devotion behind his words; he knew that Beset had at last found a man whom would marry her if he could but for a noble to marry a commoner, a slave and a foreigner..._

_Hanuk struggled between what he knew he should do and what he wished he could do, he consulted his advisors and a solution was found. So long as the man remained a commoner, slave and foreigner the union could not be allowed, but if that were to change?_

_The first two could be achieved with little difficulty. As the Nubian's master Hanuk was within his rights to set him free at any time and if he wished he could adopt the man into his house, making him enough of a nobleman to stop too much controversy._

_The true problem lay with earning the man the right of citizenship. Any slave was granted the rights of a born Egyptian citizen after seven years of faithful service, but Beset was already beyond the age of most brides. Hanuk knew it would be possible to earn the man citizenship but not without hard work from the young man and not without him beind educated to the ways of Egypt. It would take perhaps a year to see him instructed to a standard where he might earn his citizenship which was acceptable, but for that he would need a good tutor._

_So it came to pass that Alzandar the Nubian Sorceror met the scholar Jielz._


	2. Chapter 2

_Library._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_The library was impressive in architecture; high ceilings and rows of thick columns to support them, but unlike the temples, shrines and houses of the city it did not make any attempt to be beautiful. It was certainly not an ugly building, the smooth, white, outer walls reflected the sun and the high arches were carefully crafted but the bright colors, the mosaics and bejeweled statues one would find at the temples were noticeably lacking there. It was a building of practicality, not grandeur and Jielz felt comfortable within it's humble walls._

_However by the command of Hanuk his comfortable existence had been upturned. Jielz was a scholar, a man of scrolls, facts and knowledge. He was therefore a very bad teacher. The disastrous months in which he had attempted to teach Beset had been enough to convince him of that, yet it appeared that Hanuk was not as convinced as he had again called upon Jielz to instruct a brash youth._

_Alzandar had arrived at sunrise and in the time since had not spoken or even moved a muscle as far as Jielz had seen. The scholar looked up to find the young Nubian still stood, patiently waiting for him and sighed; pushing aside a collection of scrolls he gestured for the man to take a seat. Alzandar was timid in taking the offered seat, as though not sure he was supposed to. Jielz pinched the bridge of his nose, something of a tic he'd developed during the chaotic education of Beset._  
"_Do you understand me?" Jielz spoke slowly and carefully._  
"_I am not an animal," The young man spoke at last, looking up from the table to glare at the scholar, "I may not be from this country but I can speak it's language, it is not too different from my native tongue." Point made he dropped his gaze once more._  
"_I apologize." The words sounded forced and Alzandar gave nothing but an icy stare in return, "I have been instructed to educate you; but in what and how much you have already been taught was not told to me." Jielz stumbled through something of an explanation, turning to observe the row behind him made the words easier, "I am not a renowned tutor, so if this scheme to earn you citizenship is to succeed I will need your help and cooperation."_  
_There was a lengthy pause, but then a quiet sigh of defeat and a question, "What do you need me to do?"_  
"_I need to know where to begin in teaching you, so tell me how much do you already know?" Somewhat relieved that they were beginning to make progress Jielz turned to look at the Nubian once more, he saw that the young man was smiling slightly._  
"_I know many things." Was the eventual reply._

_Public Library._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

The next day Rupert found himself once more experiencing a deep loathing for the sloth-like clock before reaching the conclusion that the book the man had borrowed must contain enough needed information to prevent another visit to the library being necessary, at least for the immediate future.

Yet as much as Rupert yearned to see Xander again, he was also struggling with his more intellectual instincts. People didn't graduate from Oxford University by reading tea leaves and for his entire life Rupert had lived with the certainty that the paranormal was only a combination of hoaxes and willful ignorance, yet now he was curious to the meaning of the Physician card and the alarmed response Xander had upon reading it. _You are playing with fire in letting your heart rule your head. _Common sense warned, _Best forget about him and his peculiar eccentricities._

Try as he might to follow the advice of his own good reasoning, Rupert couldn't seem to avoid thoughts of the young man. The Occult section stayed mostly empty, but when the librarian looked across he could imagine the one-eyed man sitting there flicking through the pages of some thick volume. Xander lurked even in the pages of 'The Sorceror's Love', Rupert had skimmed through the opening chapters detailing the fall of Nubia and the blossoming romance of the enslaved sorceror and the general's daughter – chuckling to himself over the absurd details and overly florid prose – but when the scholar who was to educate the young man was introduced Rupert found himself re-imagining the appearance of Alzandar to mimic perfectly that of his acquaintance and just as easily the character of Jielz was molded into his own form.

Since that turn of events Rupert had put the book down and made no attempt to read further, an act deeply out of character and betraying the extent to which the conundrum was affecting him. Even so he had not yet returned the book and it lay by his bedside each night tempting him.

Surely it could not have been simple coincidence that had led to that particular work of fiction being mixed in with the Occult books, not when it had two characters who seemed to be mirror images of himself and a person whom he had feelings toward. It could not be simple chance that had led to him grabbing it from the many books that lined the – as he'd expressed before – overly extensive shelves of the Occult section during his plan to gain the attention of that person.

_Oh for goodness sake! _A rather cynical voice snarled inside Rupert's head, gnashing it's teeth at the weaker, romantic side that had emerged when the man allowed himself to ponder these things. Abandoning position behind the desk Rupert marched to the Occult section and tore the first book from the shelves that caught his eye, _'Awakening Your Chakras In Seven Easy Steps' _The cynical voice narrated in a sarcastic tone, _What utter rot!_ Flicking open the book Rupert turned the pages at a rapid pace stopping long enough to read short sections and comment upon them internally. _The pineal gland is the center for telepathy and precognition. Ridiculous! When aligning the solar plexus chakra vanilla incense or room spray can assist mental balance; how delightfully idiotic. The temple chakras are located..._  
"Hi Rupert." With a surprised yelp Rupert snapped the book shut and turned to look at Xander, "You, uhm, planning on awakening your chakras?" There was a hint of laughter in the young man's tone as he read from the book's cover.  
"Just looking," Rupert hastily defended, returning the book to the shelf heedless of the Dewey Decimal system, "I was stacking the shelves and it caught my eye."  
"Your third eye?" There was definitely laughter that time.

Normally Rupert would defend himself with a quick remark, but he was somewhat content to let the younger man laugh at his expense – for a few seconds at least, "Did you want something?"  
"Oh, right." Xander's laughter subsided to quiet chuckling as he retrieved the borrowed book from his satchel, "I wanted to return this."  
Rupert accepted the book and returned to the desk, rather glad when Xander chose to follow instead of settling down at his usual table, "Did it help?"  
"Not much," Xander admitted, "I was hoping to get some more information, but it was too vague. I was wondering..." The young man caught Rupert's eye, swiftly looked away, then seemed to resolve himself and made eye contact again, "I'm gonna try another reading, I was wondering if you'd help. I mean, if you're not too busy that is."  
_No. _"I..." _No! _"How long would it take?"  
"Not long, with time to look up the meanings, half an hour, maybe a bit longer."  
_No, I'm very busy with things that are not completely insane. _"I suppose I could."

Rupert took the chair he'd sat in before and watched as Xander began to shuffle through the deck, looking for a few select cards. Once he'd found the three he was searching for they were set aside and the deck was: shuffled, cut into three, rebuilt, shuffled again and then a Witness card was placed down. The next card was set aside, excluded from the circle, this pattern continued until the circle of fifteen had been constructed. The rest of the deck was placed aside with the unselected Witness cards. The placement of the cards was quick and confident.  
"You've done this before?" Rupert guessed.  
"Since I was fourteen," Xander replied with a grin, "But that's the easy part. Reading them's the hard part." As he spoke he took the three cards he'd picked earlier and placed one at the top of the pattern and the other two inside the circle.  
"The Accused..." Rupert recalled his brief introduction to the deck, "There can be more than one?"  
"The Accused is what I already know," Xander repeated his explanation, "The more I know the more cards make up the Accused, and the more there are the more likely I'll get an accurate answer."  
_'what I already know'_. Those were the exact words Xander had used and Rupert could see by looking that one of the cards the fortune teller was using as his Accused was The Physician; so it appeared that Rupert really had helped him to learn something but exactly what was still a mystery.

The second Accused card was The Sight. The image was of a woman holding both hands in front of her face as though weeping, but on each hand a symbol of an eye was tattooed, creating the illusion that she was looking out of the picture. Rupert couldn't recall if it was the card Xander had been using as the Accused during his last reading.

The librarian turned away from the creepy image of The Sight with the intention of asking the younger man what question he was asking and how the two Accused cards related to it, but before he could Xander had already turned the first Witness card.  
"The Hourglass." Opening the book Xander was clearly too absorbed in the various meanings to answer questions, so Rupert decided to hold his tongue until the reading was finished, "Hm, weird." Xander frowned at the book, looked between it and the upturned Hourglass card a few times before shrugging and turning to Rupert, "Your turn."  
"I just pick any card?" Rupert asked, again worried that he might disturb the order of this strange ritual.  
"Any card that takes your fancy."  
The librarian's gaze wandered over the fourteen cards he had to choose from, the cynical voice in his mind had returned but he forcibly hushed it and made his choice, "Heart," Rupert read.  
"Heart?" Xander repeated the word incredulously, he flipped pages again for a few moments before reading a passage, mumbling under his breath as he did so, "That can't be right." Slumping forward Xander let his forehead smack with force into the pages of the open book.  
"What's wrong?" Rupert inquired, genuinely curious as to why the young man should be so vexed after only two cards had been flipped.  
"It's just..." The young man started and then exhaled, his frustration expressed in one short puff, "I guess I don't know enough to make sense of what the cards are telling me."  
"What are they telling you?"

Sitting up Xander picked up the cards and returned them all to the deck, then he began to search through the again. After a few minutes he had six cards laid on the table.  
"Any card has the potential to be Judge, Accused and Witness," Xander stated, "But some are better suited for certain roles, these..." he indicated the six cards on the table, "are the Court cards. They're the cards most often used as Judge because they ask broad questions instead of very specific ones. 'Who?'..." He pointed to a card called 'The Hostess', "'What?'" The Scholar, "'When?'" The Priest, "'Where?'" The Officer, "'How?'" The Smith "and 'Why?'" The young man finished up by pointing to the last of the six cards, The Philosopher.  
"Slow down," Rupert pleaded. Xander's lips twitched slightly in amusement and he repeated the six cards and the question they asked.  
"I've been using The Scholar as my Judge..."  
"A 'what' question?"  
"Yes. But these cards," Xander retrieved the Hourglass and Heart cards, "They both answer heavily 'when' oriented questions, it doesn't make sense for them to be appearing in this reading."

There was silence for a few moments as both men accepted the lack of results from the cards.  
"If you don't mind me asking, what question are you asking?" Rupert posed the question that had been at the front of his mind for the last few minutes.  
"It's kind of complicated," Xander hedged, "It'd take a while to explain and I wouldn't want to keep you from your work."  
"Right." Rupert's voice was detached as he stood up, preparing to return to the sane world where he didn't have to wonder what the meaning of cryptic symbols was.  
"If you're..." Xander started to speak, then trailed off but when Rupert turned to look at him once more he seemed to find his confidence again, "What time do you finish work?" He didn't wait for an answer before continuing, "It's just, if you have time we could maybe go get some coffee and talk about it, or... or tea. British guys like tea right?"  
Rupert was caught between a number of reactions; giddiness at realizing Xander might actually be interested in him as well – because there was coffee, and then there was _coffee_ and the way Xander had spoken suggested this might be the latter – intrigue at perhaps being presented with the facts that would make Xander's odd card collection make sense and irritation at the unsupported – but unfortunately entirely true – cultural stereotype. He sincerely hoped he betrayed none of those emotions when he replied, "I'm afraid I'll be a couple of hours."  
"That's okay, I'll wait." Rupert was quite bemused by Xander's easy acceptance.


	3. Chapter 3

_Cosy Nook, Coffee House._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

Xander had suggested a nearby coffee house he was familiar with as the venue for their discussion and Rupert had expected something similar to the set from the awful sitcom Elizabeth had always insisted they watch. He wasn't too far off in his estimation, but he had to accept that the place had a warm atmosphere and thankfully did not have a truly awful pun on the sign.

The younger man moved confidently through the mass of mismatched armchairs to a selection of seats and tables arranged alongside the windows, giving customers a splendid view of the DIY store opposite during the day; but now late into the evening even that much was hard to make out.  
"Hey Xan." Before Rupert had even had the chance to settle down properly a redheaded waitress whose shawl seemed to be knitted from every color of wool available had appeared from out of nowhere as if by magic, "The usual." Somewhat less surprised by the woman's arrival Xander smiled warmly and replied in the affirmative, "...and your friend?" The young woman turned to face him, pencil ready to jot down his order but there was a question concealed in her simple statement that Xander seemed prepared for.  
"Willow, this is Rupert a friend of mine." Rupert dutifully ignored the little burst of joy at being acknowledged as something more than a simple acquaintance, "Rupert, this is Willow an annoying agent for a secret organization that does nothing but pry into my social life."  
"It's nice to meet you." Rupert had to fight not to grin.  
"Likewise," Willow replied, giving up on the glare Xander had been steadfastly ignoring and returning her attention to Rupert's order, "What can I get you?"  
"Just a tea, please."  
"Earl Grey, Green, Chamomile, Oolong, Herbal or Fruit Infusion?" The waitress counted each option off on her fingers, her voice had a practiced lilt to it.  
"Just tea," Rupert mumbled timidly.  
The redhead seemed to sympathize, "Earl Grey," She concluded, taking note and then leaving them be.  
Rupert got the impression Xander was amused by his response, "I will never understand the American need to make things so complicated," He stated in something of a defense. The younger man didn't reply aloud, though his slight smile did flicker into a grin for a few seconds.

Arms resting on the tabletop, the young man was comfortable in his own space but Rupert was conscious of the fact that it would take very little for either of them to reach out and touch the other. Was the younger man oblivious to the intimacy of their seating arrangement? Rupert didn't believe so, as casual as Xander may appear to be as he sat watching the unchanging gloom outside the window, he had asked the librarian to join him here and he had chosen this table specifically.

Questions burned through Rupert's mind as he waited for the still man before him to turn his attention away from the darkness outside and back towards him, to the issue of the cards that had bought them this far. Yet no question made it's way past the older man's lips and grabbed the attention that was so desired, it was as if Rupert's vocabulary and curiosity combined were far too vast to be accommodated in so little breath.

Willow returned with a tray that was if not expertly balanced at the very least adept. A royal blue mug was set before Xander and Rupert's own beverage came served in a cup and saucer; a truly mediocre attempt to replicate the true nature of tea. The Brit found he missed the cafes of home; being presented with a freshly brewed pot, milk and sugar delivered in pots and bowls so that one could prepare a cup to one's own tastes... Taking a sip Rupert mourned the loss further as he found the drink far too weak. Setting the cup down he directed his attention to the mug of his associate, a thick, rich aroma betrayed the contents.  
"Hot chocolate?" Rupert let his own amusement come through strongly in his words, a return in full for Xander's own teasing.  
"It's too late for coffee." Xander's mumbled retort was somewhat weakened by the fact that the tips of his ears had turned a deep shade of pink. His gaze was cast down into the depths of the chocolate liquid the young man exhaled a long slow strength, drawing strength from the action and lifted his head once more, "I suppose you want to know now." Rupert was reminded once more of the intensity the one-eyed man could place in his gaze.  
"I have to admit I'm curious."

"It's complicated. I suppose I'd best start at the beginning..." The young man sipped from his hot chocolate, licking away a lingering trail on his upper lip once the mug was lowered in a way that was rather distracting and began to speak, "I was born here in Sunnydale. From birth I was blind in my left eye, some defect the doctors couldn't explain." These facts were presented swiftly and Rupert would have called the man's voice robotic if not for the clear emotions behind his speech, "My parents were... You know how some people just don't make good parents? My parents were like that, they couldn't handle a kid, especially not one with a disability.

"I first met my Great Aunt Dru at a family gathering. It was Christmas and I was five. I was playing in the garden with my imaginary friend; a puppy named Charlie, he had a patch over his eye like mine and his favorite food was spaghetti and strawberry ice cream..." The hint of anger that had crept into Xander's voice at the mention of his parents vanished as he recalled the childish details, "My parents didn't know about Charlie, they'd never asked. He was my secret companion and when Aunt Dru found us we were fighting martians on the moon, she asked about Charlie and unlike most adults I knew at that age she played along. After that I spent almost the whole gathering with her, at dinner I decided we were both spies and she told me how the paper crowns from the crackers let us read people's minds.

"I didn't see her again until I was seven. In my family people tend to fall out on a fairly regular basis so the guest list is always rather fluid, it was my dad's 30th so most of the attention was on him but I had to put up with the usual gathering of distant relatives asking if I remembered them and of all of them I only remembered Aunt Dru, I think that annoyed them..." There was a slight satisfactory grin on the young man's face when he said that, "As the years went by I'd see Aunt Dru sporadically; some years she'd be at gatherings, others she wouldn't, sometimes she'd send presents on my birthday and other times she would forget.

"As I got older I began to pay more attention to what people were saying and I learned that I was one of the few relatives who actually liked Aunt Dru. Almost everyone else thought she was a mad, old spinster. I wormed the truth out of Uncle Rory at New Years when I was thirteen, Aunt Dru was a Seer; she held séances, read fortunes and had visions from the Great Beyond..." Xander trailed off and seemed to be judging Rupert's reaction to this piece of information, "You don't believe, do you?"  
Though tempted to lie Rupert's integrity made him tell the truth, "Not... not as such, no."  
The young man smiled thinly, humorlessly, "You aren't the only one. My whole family figured she was either crazy or a fraud, Uncle Rory figured both.

"On my fourteenth birthday Aunt Dru actually visited. I was surprised, but glad to see her. My parents, less so. Divorce was hanging over their heads and it took less than a visit from the family nutjob to spark an argument." Rupert was surprised by how much Xander was willing to share with him, even if the young man had introduced him as a friend the truth of the matter was they'd known each other a very short time, "I asked Aunt Dru about her being a Seer, she didn't lie or try to tone things down because I was a kid. She said..." The young man stuttered and was silent for a moment, "She told me..." Again he stopped, screwed up his eye and took a deep breath before confessing, "She said she knew I was a Seer too!"

Rupert sat still after this unexpected revelation, torn between utter disbelief and a desire to not offend he was unsure how to respond. Xander didn't seem overly hopefully if his body language was any indication, he'd slumped back and down in his chair, his fingertips were tracing the patterns of the wooden tabletop, "You have visions?" Each word took a lot of force.  
"Not really." The young man didn't look up, "Just glimpses; when I'm asleep or distracted I'll see something for just a few seconds and then less than a week later it'll actually happen. It's never any impressive; someone saying a certain phrase, making a certain gesture, a line of a song or a specific place I'll be passing. It's like deja vu."  
The internal struggle continued but in the end politeness won out, "Okay." There was strong evidence of the conflict in that single word and it was clearly not an acceptance of the fact, but nor was it an outright dismissal, from that Xander seemed to take hope.

"Things were bad at home; mom and dad fighting all the time, everyone just waiting for the last thread to snap. It was tense and I couldn't stand it so I ran away. After everything Aunt Dru had told me I felt some kind of companionship with her so rather than hide out at a friend's house I got a bus out of town. I'd never been to visit her before but I knew the address and it didn't take too long to find it.

"My parents divorce was finally under way and both were content to let Aunt Dru take legal guardianship of me; far too busy fighting over more important things, like the toaster..." Xander's voice reflected the old wounds being opened in recollecting this. Rupert reached out and took the younger man's hand before he'd even thought the motion through, Xander finally looked up from the table and there was a combination of surprise and gratitude in his single eye.

"At first I thought Aunt Dru was gonna teach me to be a superhero." Seeing Rupert's incredulous raised eyebrow the young man defended himself, "I read a lot of comic books. She told me more about being a Seer and then started teaching me to read the cards. It was difficult, I had school and she tended to be busy with clients; sometimes I'd sit in on séances but Aunt Dru insisted I should learn the cards and not worry about the rest, my sight was weaker than most..." Rupert squirmed slightly at the poor choice of words, the way that Xander spoke them showed it was a direct quotation. Seeing the older man's reaction Xander nodded his head slightly, "As you can guess I was less than happy. After that time wasn't the only problem affecting my learning, I was stubborn and irritable. As I got older I had to spend more time on schoolwork. Once I'd graduated I started work at a construction site, a year later I was offered an apprenticeship in carpentry. I wanted to take it but Aunt Dru was already edgy; we had a massive fight and I threatened to move out, with the apprenticeship I'd be able to support myself. In the end we resolved most of our issues, I took the apprenticeship but agreed to spend more time learning how to read the cards.

"Things were good, I had a job and I was finally treating the lessons with respect instead of contempt but then Aunt Dru got sick..." There was raw pain now, closer to the surface than anything so far, Rupert squeezed the hand he was still holding to try and comfort, "The doctors gave her a few months, she lived up to their expectations..." Xander stopped for a while taking deep breaths to calm himself, "After she died I couldn't stay in the house any longer, I suppose I could have found somewhere close by to live but I felt a strange urge to come back to Sunnydale..." Pulling away Xander reached down and took his satchel from the floor.

"In her will Aunt Dru left a lot of things to me; the cards, the book of meanings and this..." Xander pulled a heavy necklace from the satchel and placed it on the table for Rupert to inspect. The chain was thick to support the weight but otherwise unremarkable, the thick locket was much more interesting, however. About the size of a pocket watch and of a similar shape, it had a design etched into the front and when Rupert sought to open it he found the opening jammed, "There was a note with it saying Aunt Dru wanted me to find out what it is. I kind of felt obligated to since I'd not exactly always done as she wanted when she was alive. At first I took it to an antiques expert, I mean it looks _old_ right?"  
"Very old," Rupert agreed. He knew more than most about history and yet he had never come across anything like this before.  
"I tried about three different guys and none of them had a clue what it was. So then I figured maybe it was something mystical, I went to the library and started reading books looking for this symbol. After a while I decided to consult the cards, but I haven't had much luck so far. So I guess that answers your original question. I'm trying to find out what this locket is."

In the silence that followed Rupert studied the locket but his mind was elsewhere. Xander could easily have shown him this locket and explained he was trying to find out what it was but instead he'd trusted Rupert enough to give him the full story, including details that were deeply personal.  
"May I ask something?" Rupert asked.  
Xander took a deep gulp from his mug of hot chocolate before answering, Rupert got the feeling the younger man was attempting to prepare himself for whichever of any number of questions he was about to be asked, "Shoot."  
"The Court cards, they can be used as Accused so long as you have the information they represent. Is that correct?"  
Xander blinked owlishly, clearly not prepared for that particular question, "Uhm, yeah, yeah they can."  
"So it might help to know roughly when this locket was made."  
"That would be useful... why do you ask?"  
"I have a friend..." Rupert stated carefully, not wanting to raise the young man's hopes too much, "He studies symbols and ancient languages, it's possible he might recognize this one."  
"Maybe..." Xander mumbled and bit his lip, "Maybe this is what it meant?"  
"What 'it' meant?" Rupert repeated, reasonably sure that this was the meaning behind the Physician card. Asking certainly produced the same result as when the card had first appeared.  
"Nothing! It's nothing." Xander fiddled nervously with his eye patch for a few seconds and then tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear, "So, um, how about you. I've told you all about me, how'd you end up here in the US of A?"

Slightly frustrated to again be left in the dark Rupert nonetheless accepted the change in topic, Xander had trusted him with the details of his life so it was only fair that the librarian do some sharing of his own, "I had a friend in University, an American friend who'd come to England to study. After we graduated he went back to America but we remained close; I was best man at his wedding and a few years later I returned to America once more to attend the christening of his daughter, Elizabeth; I was made her Godfather.

"Seven years ago there was an accident, my friend and his wife were both killed. Custody of Elizabeth went to me. It would have been possible to bring Elizabeth to England, but she had already lost her parents and I didn't wish to upset her life any further so I chose to move here to take care of her.

"We were united in our grief and so grew close very quickly. She was a rather stubborn girl and has consequently grown into a rather stubborn young woman, it was her who convinced me to remain in this country once she had reached the age of maturity and become her own legal guardian. That's it I'm afraid, I'm sorry that there's a noticeable lack of psychic powers but if it will appease you Elizabeth is a rather uncommonly strong young lady."  
Xander smirked at the joke, "Does that mean you believe me?"  
_No! _"I'm... open to the concept." The warm smile the young man gave was worth the curses his rational side spat at him.  
"Oh, and... I'm sorry, about your friend," Xander added a moment later.  
"It was some time ago and I have mourned for him, your grievance is more recent; it is I who should offer my condolences."  
"You have offered to help me with my task, that is better than condolence," Xander replied, "Should I sketch the pattern for you or can you remember it?"  
"A reference would prove useful." Rupert watched as the young man took a pencil from his satchel and produced an accurate depiction of the locket's etching on one a paper napkin.

Once they had paid – and Rupert had insisted on paying for his tea even though he had barely touched it – the pair walked back to the library.  
"My car is just over there." Rupert indicated one of the few cars left in the parking lot, it had not been necessary for Xander to escort him and pointing out the car was an attempt to subtly indicate this; not that the gesture had been unappreciated.  
"Okay," The young man stood for a few seconds, his hands deep in his pockets, rocking on his heels, "So, I'll see you soon."  
"Yes, I'm sure I will." Rupert could not contain his smile, this final awkward interaction was enough to make the entire evening feel like a genuine date. As he crossed the parking lot he retrieved the napkin with the diagram on it from his coat pocket, sincerely hoping that tomorrow he'd be able to make that infernal fax machine work.

_Library._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_Jielz learned swiftly that Alzandar was a person who loved to talk. While not much of a socialite Jielz had met this type of person before and found them to be very dull; speaking almost always of themselves and showing little to no interest in the opinions of those they were speaking to. Alzandar was not like this, while it took very little to prompt the Nubian into long talks of himself he did so without pride or boasting._

_This strange humility was stranger still when Jielz sat and learned of this extraordinary man's life. He had been raised in the palace, his family servants to the Nubian Royals, but befriended by the young prince he was saved from a life of lesser work and instead taught the ways of sorcery so that he may be an entertainer to the future king. During the fall of the Kingdom he had been part of a select group given the duty of protecting the prince as he fled to safety. Though never explicitly said Jielz was aware the man must have failed in this duty as it had been reported that all members of the Nubian Royal Family were killed._

_As well as telling of his own life Alzandar expressed a deep interest in the lives of those around him, always curious and seeking understanding. Jielz found this form of teaching far simpler than any he had attempted with Beset and so allowed it._  
"_The scholars are most peculiar," Alzandar remarked during one of their earliest sessions._  
"_Why do you say that?" The tutor inquired, slightly defensive of his profession._  
"_They wander around on their own, never speaking to one another. Would the work not be easier if they aided each other?"_  
"_The work that scholars do is not towards one absolute goal, like the construction of the tomb for example. Instead each man works towards his own understanding."_  
"_What is your work?" The young Nubian turned from his observation of the other scholars to speak to Jielz directly._  
"_It is my job to educate you," The tutor replied in a less than subtle hint._  
"_Other than that. What was your work before me?"_  
"_I am what is sometimes known as a Watcher."_  
"_Watcher?" The young man repeated the unfamiliar word, his Nubian accent strong._  
"_I observe events as they occur and record them for future reference," Jielz elaborated._  
"_Do you watch me?" Alzandar questioned, innocent and curious._  
"_I observe," The scholar replied, "But no record shall be made until you and Beset are wed." The young man accepted that answer and the conversation soon moved on to other things._


	4. Chapter 4

_Rupert Giles's Apartment, Bedroom._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

The sensation of dreaming was nothing more than the brain's way of cataloging the events of the day; there was strong evidence to support the idea and Rupert believed it completely. So it was perfectly reasonable that his dream should feature an hourglass, a heart and a strange witch-like figure; that did not stop Rupert from lying awake feeling uneasy.

The alarm clock on the bedside table displayed the early hour of the morning in glowing red digits and each time Rupert turned to inspect whether the time had altered significantly since his last glance he could not help but notice 'The Sorceror's Love' still sitting innocently, waiting to be read. Although he had made the decision to stop reading the book Rupert found himself adjusting his view, sleep was remaining elusive and with a number of thoughts he'd rather avoid fighting for position in his mind a distraction would prove useful.

_Temple of Ra._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_With Alzandar expressing a much greater capacity to learn from the physical world than from facts presented on a page Jielz had begun to take the younger man out into the city so that he may experience Egyptian life in the flesh and hopefully retain some knowledge while they were at it._

_One of the first trips made was to the religious sector of the city. While there were many shrines located in the more domestic parts of Dayl, on the Eastern side there was a part of the city where the grand temples and the festival square were built. The Gods played a part in all aspects of life and so knowledge of the many deities and their roles in the country would be essential if Alzandar was to truly become a citizen._

_When asked about religion the Nubian had told Jielz of the single deity of his people; the Goddess Ma'al who watched over the kingdom. From this point of reference the scholar had decided to begin by taking the young man to the Temple of Ra; the Egyptian God of the Kingdom, as a basis for comparison. He walked silently at the younger man's side as they explored the grandeur of the building finding his wide-eyed expressions of wonder endearing._  
"_The priests..." Alzandar spoke for the first time since arriving as they passed the prayer chambers, "They do not look joyful."_  
"_They live their lives in service to Ra, a duty that takes much time. Joy is a luxury they indulge in rarely," The scholar explained._  
"_Religion is a job to them?" The Nubian sounded shocked._  
"_That is... a rather blunt way of putting it, but I suppose that is accurate."_  
"_The druids of Ma'al taught me that the goddess defends our kingdom..." The young man trailed off, remembering that she had failed in this duty and his kingdom was lost, "That the best way we could express gratitude is through showing our joy for the freedoms she grants."_  
"_That is why we hold festivals for the Gods, but a kingdom must also be built on a strong infrastructure and so the priests show their restraint and discipline as a measure of this."_  
"_So that is why Nubia fell, weak infrastructure?" A hostile tone had crept into Alzandar's voice._  
"_Nubia fell through warfare," Jielz replied sympathetically. The Nubian seemed to accept this response and lapsed into uncharacteristic silence._

_In an effort to rouse Alzandar from his bad mood Jielz suggested they leave the Temple and visit one of the other great monuments built to honor the gods. The Nubian acquiesced, but maintained his silence until they were passing one of the lesser temples._  
"_Ma'al!" His sudden exclamation was followed by him dashing forward._  
"_Alzandar!" The scholar's harsh reprimand was ignored by the student, who hurried up the steps and stopped in front of a detailed painting on the outer wall._  
"_Ma'al," The young man repeated excitedly once his tutor had caught up._  
_Jielz looked to the painting the Nubian was studying, "That is Bast," He explained._  
"_It's Ma'al," Alzandar insisted, lifting a hand to trace the cat face of the painting, "These eyes, they are exactly right. It is her."_  
"_Perhaps the two are similar, but in Egypt this goddess is known as Bast," Jielz sought to calm the excited young man._  
"_What is she the goddess of?" If anything his excitement had grown; he was smiling widely, his single eye shining with excitement as he bounced up and down._  
"_She is Goddess of the home." When that didn't seem to be enough to satisfy Alzandar's curiosity the scholar continued, "She brings good fortune to those she favors and guards us throughout our days."_  
_The young man turned his gaze back towards the painting, smiling up at it with pure joy, "Ma'al." He turned to look at the scholar once more, "Perhaps Egypt is not so different as I thought."_

_Public Library._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

Rupert had not read much of 'The Sorceror's Love' before his tiredness returned and he was able to sleep, but somehow when the alarm went off the following morning he was still exhausted. After a difficult morning at work the librarian took a well deserved break in the back office.

While the old couch and two mismatched armchairs all had the texture of a sponge cake they seemed deeply inviting to Rupert at that moment, but as appealing as a nap may be to his fatigued mind he knew he should use the time to keep his promise to Xander. Taking his address book from his coat pocket he thumbed through the pages until he had found the number he was looking for; dialing the number he held his breath, hoping that the frustrating man on the other end would be somewhat bearable.  
"Your call cannot be connected. Please hang up and try again," A smooth voice stated once the call had gone through.  
Apparently not then. "Ethan, it's Rupert."  
"Rupert?" A combination of surprise and pleasure, "Sorry about that. I was expecting someone else."  
"A girlfriend?" The librarian guessed, not without a reasonable basis for assuming.  
"Something like that," Rupert could hear the smirk in his friend's tone, "So how have you been?"  
"Fine. Ethan, I need you to do something for me."  
"Straight down to business as usual?" Ethan sighed dramatically, "You're rather infuriating that way. It's most un-academic of you."  
"There's a symbol I don't recognize that I need to know the history of. Your area of expertise if I'm not mistaken."  
"Oh my dear Rupert, flattery? What kind of simpleton do you take me for?"  
"One who is more vain than anyone else I have ever met, perhaps."  
"You wound me," Ethan declared, likely seeking to sound offended but not managing to conceal his amusement.  
"Are you going to look at the symbol for me or not? Much as you may claim to be a gentleman of leisure others have schedules to keep to."  
"Oh all right then, since it's for you. Fax me a copy."  
"Right." Rupert pulled the now slightly rumpled napkin from his pocket, smoothed it as best he could and inserted it into the fax machine, "How, uh, how would I do that exactly?"  
Ethan gave a deep, indulgent sigh; "Honestly Rupert, it's the 21st century and here you are struggling to comprehend machines built in the 20th."  
"The 20th century never interested me that much, it's why I chose to study history," Rupert returned with a slight smile, as frustrated as Ethan may seem by his struggles with modern technology the librarian knew his friend had always been secretly amused by it and so didn't protest when Ethan instructed him in how to use the fax machine as though speaking to a very young and stupid child.

"This is.... hm," Rupert heard the rustle of paper on the other end of the line as Ethan inspected the copy of the symbol he'd just received, "I don't know what it is exactly, but there's something familiar about it... I'll spend some time on it and call you back if I learn anything." There was no reason for the librarian to doubt Ethan's word, when he set to work on something it was almost impossible to deter him. It had taken several years of Rupert denying him before Ethan had finally accepted they would never be more than friends.

_Western Bazaar._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_As the months past Alzandar's education continued; on days where he was not busy entertaining guests in his master's household or spending his time in the company of Beset he would go to Jielz and the two would wander the city; the scholar teaching and the student listening close to every word the man spoke._

_Temples and shrines; booths, conservatories and bandstands; the senet house and the court; firehouses, architect's posts and police stations; physicians, apothecaries and dentists; dockyards and fisheries; granaries and storage yards and a whole host of other places beside. Alzandar absorbed the richness of city life as a plant absorbs minerals from the soil, and as the minerals of the soil allow a plant to grow, the knowledge the young Nubian was gaining seemed to be nurturing his confidence._

_This slowly building confidence is what caused him to ask Jielz to take him to a very specific part of the city; the western banks._  
"_But why would you wish to go there?" Jielz had asked._  
"_Wherever I go, with you or with Beset, it is always the eastern side. I want to visit the western shore and see how things work on the other side of the Nile," Alzandar had replied._

_So the scholar had taken his student aboard one of the many vessels that regularly crossed the expanse of the river and they had started to walk, unlike their usual trips they had no specific destination and in a short amount of time they had found themselves at a bazaar. It was not a grand affair such as one might see back on the eastern side of the city, the goods for sale remarkably commonplace but the young Nubian marveled at it for some reason the scholar could not understand._  
"_Dates," Alzandar remarked gleefully as they passed a fruit stall, stopping in front of it he picked up one of the small, sweet fruits and inhaled it's scent._  
"_Those are two deben a dozen," The stall-owner informed brashly._  
"_Oh," The young man mumbled, good mood gone in an instant. Slaves were not permitted to have currency of their own and as such he had no way to pay. Immediately the scholar handed over two small, silver coins. The stall-owner gave the Nubian an odd look for a few seconds before accepting the money from Jielz and wrapping eleven dates in a cloth and handing them over._

_Once they were a good way down the street Alzandar thanked his tutor, "I appreciate you buying these, it was not necessary of you."_  
"_You wanted them. Two deben is not a lot to pay." Jielz responded._  
"_I still offer my thanks. Would you like one?" The scholar stood uncertainly for a moments and reluctant to wait for a response Alzandar pushed a date between the older man's lips and then tapped the tip of his nose with a sticky finger. The young Nubian laughed and turned to explore the wonders of the bazaar further, not noticing the embarrassment of the scholar._

_Public Library._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

It was several days after Rupert contacted Ethan when Xander returned to the library once more; it was late into the evening and rapidly approaching the library's closing hours.  
"Hey Rupert," The young man leaned comfortably on the desk.  
"Hello again Xander," Rupert returned the greeting. He'd been working hard over the past few days to forget the less believable details of the younger man's story, but now faced with him again he found himself recalling them in quick succession and wondering why he was offering assistance to someone who was going to use the information to try and understand some magic cards.  
"How soon do you get off work?" Xander asked casually.  
Rupert felt his stomach do a backflip, but hopefully it didn't show; "Quite soon. Why?"  
"Willow told me about some mystic guy who might be able to help with the whole locket thing. I was wondering if you'd wanna go with me."  
Not exactly a standard second date, but it wasn't like their conversation in the coffee house was much of a first date either, "Mystic guy?"  
Xander shrugged, but noticeably sagged a little; perhaps only just remembering that Rupert was still very ambivalent about the 'Seer' issue, "I'm not sure really. Willow said he reads auras and things."  
"I suppose it could be..." _A waste of time, _"interesting."  
Xander perked up instantly, gifting Rupert with one of the grins the librarian was becoming accustomed to.

The store Xander led them both to was called 'Pandora's Box', the display window was positively abusing the use of black cloth and skulls and a sign stuck to the inside of one pane with tape threatened to curse any shoplifters. Rupert was less than impressed; whoever had named the shop clearly didn't understand the myth of Pandora because in the librarian's opinion six varieties of colored candles and incense burners shaped like Chinese dragons were not the worst horrors imaginable unleashed upon the world. In fact, the only suggestion of any real sin was in the heavy incense fumes wafting through the tiny, cluttered store; which the young always seemed to think would conceal the fact that they were stoned when one look at them would betray that fact.

Rupert was quite glad to see Xander looked equally unimpressed. It was rather relieving to know the young man had some standards for believing in the paranormal.  
"I'm here to see Daniel," Xander spoke to a girl behind the counter who was twirling a thread of beaded hair between her finger and thumb.  
"Who?" She spoke in a quiet, hoarse tone in an attempt to sound mysterious which simply served to make her sound as if she had a bad cold.  
"Willow told me to come here and ask to see Daniel, hold on..." The young man pulled a scrap of paper from the back pocket of his jeans, "Daniel Osbourne."  
"You mean Oz?" The girl squinted at him for some unknowable reason, "He's in the back." She gestured to a beaded curtain behind her.  
"Is it okay if we go through?" Rupert asked when the girl simply fell silent again.  
"Oh, yeah. Sure, whatever. Knock yourselves out."

The room behind the curtain was smaller than the front of the shop; but as it was less cluttered it appeared about the same. There was a large circular rug on the floor and sat cross legged on the edge furthest away from them was a small man with bright orange hair; he seemed to be meditating. Xander exchanged and uncertain look with Rupert before coughing to alert the man to their presence. His eyes snapped open and once, "Oh hey." The friendly statement interrupted the Zen atmosphere that had been present.  
"Are you Oz?" Xander asked awkwardly.  
"That's me." Oz nodded and gestured to the spot on the other side of the rug. Xander sat down and Rupert followed suit, well aware that he'd pay for it when the time came to stand up again, "What can I help you with?"  
"Willow told me you might be able to help me with something."  
"How is Willow?" Oz interrupted.  
"She's, uh, good I guess," Xander answered uncertainly.  
"Still working at that coffee place?"  
"Yeah, she is."  
"Good chai there." Rupert was not sure what to make of this strange man.

"I have... there's a locket..." Xander fumbled with his satchel, returning to the reason why they had arrived, "This symbol, do you recognize it?"  
Rupert watched as the quirky guru set the locket down and started tracing the ingrained symbol with his fingertips. Eyes closed, head tilted to one side and lips pursed Oz traced the symbol several times before returning it to Xander, "You are on the path to knowledge; there is nothing I can do to help you."  
"Seriously?" Xander sounded disappointed.  
"Sorry." Oz bowed his head and then shut his eyes once more.

After a few moments Rupert and Xander realized they had been given their cue to leave and left the shop.  
"Well that was pointless," Xander sighed.  
"If it helps, I contacted my friend and he's offered to research the symbol. Perhaps that is the 'path to knowledge' Oz mentioned."  
Xander eyed him critically for a moment, "You believe that?"  
"Not really, but I hoped it might make you feel better."  
Xander grinned in response, "I guess it worked."


	5. Chapter 5

_Maple Court, Outside 'Pandora's Box'._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

"So, um, are you doing anything now?" Xander asked, he'd buried his hands in the pockets of his jeans and was bouncing on the balls of his feet; he sounded hopeful.  
"Not as such," Rupert replied, feeling his heart tremble at the prospect of what might be about to happen.  
"Do you wanna maybe go do something?" The young man asked tentatively, but with hope still strong in his voice.  
"Yes." Aware his response might have been a tad rapid Rupert paused a moment before continuing, "Did you have anything in mind?"  
"I was thinking we could go for coffee again, except how y'know neither of us actually _had_ coffee last time, but this time maybe I could and you could order a totally different tea to take one sip of and then abandon."  
Rupert chuckled at the young man's playful joke, "That sounds like it could be fun."

The trip to the coffee house passed in near silence, but Rupert was surprised by just how comfortable the silence was; the fact remained that they still barely knew on another, yet he and Xander seemed to have some strange connection that the librarian was reluctant to put a name to for fear of sounding overly romantic or preposterously Occult.

Xander chose the same table by the window which Rupert was rather glad for; while the assorted armchairs of the shop looked quite comfortable he was not fond of drinking tea while perched on the edge of one. A trait he'd developed from Sunday lunch with his severe grandmother at an age where he would much rather have been out playing cricket with his friends.

The pair had been seated for all of three seconds when Willow appeared before them just as suddenly as she had before, "Hello again," She trilled with a grin, "What can I get you today?"  
"I see Agent Willow is in full spy mode," Xander remarked dryly.  
"The usual it is," The waitress replied, jotting down the order in her notepad and pointedly ignoring her friend's comment.  
"No, Will, I want coffee today," Xander quickly corrected.  
"You want _coffee_?" The redhead had turned to ask Rupert for his order but now turned back to scrutinize the younger man, seeming to deduce that he was serious she launched into a recital, "Espresso, Cappuccino..."  
"Just coffee Willow," Xander interrupted the melodious listing sharply. Rupert smiled at the similarity between him and his young companion.  
"Tea again?" Willow guessed turning to face the older man.  
"Please," He replied with a slight nod of thanks.  
"Okay, it'll just be a few minutes; so don't think I won't be watching you like a hawk Xander Harris. Agent Willow is on the case." With that dramatic exclamation the redhead flitted away, her brightly colored shawl flowing in her wake.

"Sorry about that," Xander mumbled, the tips of his ears turning pink, "She's, uh, not always like that."  
"It's fine," Rupert replied warmly, "I believe friends exist solely to cause embarrassment." To prove the point he shared a story involving Ethan, the fountains of Trafalgar Square, a crowd of tourists and an indecent lack of clothing; he was glad when Xander found the story amusing.  
"...and he got away with it?" The young man asked between bursts of laughter.  
"Only because he's quick on his feet. We had to take a bus with him dressed in only my raincoat however, he looked frightfully silly."

Their laughter subsided as Willow returned with their drinks, "We have scones at the moment as well, in case you're interested," The waitress informed Rupert as she set his cup down.  
Rupert was well aware that the young woman was likely seeking another excuse to return and keep watch over them and also that, given the quality of the tea, it might be better to leave the scones be.  
"Sure," Xander replied before the older man could speak.  
"Great," Willow smiled and began to tell them of the various available scones and the fillings that could accompany them in her usual lyrical way. Xander caught Rupert's eye as his friend rambled and rolled his one good eye, the librarian bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"Does she have a song like that for every menu option?" Rupert inquired once they'd ordered plain scones with butter and jam and Xander had affectionately shooed her.  
"Pretty much," The young man replied with a shrug, "She says it helps her remember if she puts them to a tune."  
"I recall Ethan doing something similar while learning hieroglyphics."  
"So, um, Ethan's the friend who's helping with my locket?" Xander guessed.  
"That's correct," Rupert replied, fully expecting the topic to once more turn to the supernatural.  
"So..." Xander leaned across the table until he was intimately close, "Sound of Music, love it or loathe it?"

_Library._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_The seasons changed and Alzandar's education continued in it's eclectic manner, but the more time went by the more Jielz felt it's constraint. While it was of course important for the Nubian to learn of Egyptian ways the most important mark of education was the ability to write and before the test that would decide the man's fate Alzandar would need to learn hieroglyphics._

_At first the scholar had sought to ease his student into the more disciplined study of the written word, spending only one day of every week instructing in glyphs and continuing as they had been at all other times; but much to Jielz's frustration the Nubian proved to be lazy and easily distracted, remarkably similar to Beset during her education._

_Annoyed at the lack of effort being presented Jielz had exerted his authority and stopped taking Alzandar on trips into the city, instead focusing all his efforts into teaching the young man how to write in glyphs instead of using the Nubian alphabet. The friendly rapport that had developed between them seemed almost instantly to dissolve and Alzandar became withdrawn and moody. Eventually there was a period of three days where the young man failed to arrive for his lessons at all._

_In those three days Jielz struggled with frustration, but also with loneliness. He missed the companionship he'd felt while teaching the young man on their journeys about Dayl just as much as Alzandar did, though he could not admit that to him. However, when at last Alzandar did return to the library to continue his lessons the scholar could not stand another session struggling with the stubborn student and so set immediately to take Alzandar to the temple district to continue his education in the ways of the gods._

_Jielz could tell the Nubian was surprised by his sudden change in behavior and asked him about it as they walked, "I thought my lessons in all else were canceled until I had shown improvement in my writing skills."_  
"_If you are too stubborn to write with glyphs I will not allow your understanding of everything else atrophy in consequence," Jielz replied. In response Alzandar stopped where he was and the scholar had to backtrack along the street when he realized the other man was not still beside him._  
"_I am Nubian," Alzandar mumbled, looking at his feet, "But you must make me Egyptian. It's like making a fish into a bird, as much as a bird may love flying it cannot swim. My writing is my last true link to home, please Jielz do not take away my power to swim."_  
_The scholar was shocked to see tears streaming from the young man's intact eye, stepping closer instinctively he wiped the glistening trail away with his thumb, "Alzandar," His voice was soft, reassuring, "I may make you a citizen of Egypt, but you will always be Nubian. If you learn to write in glyphs it will not cause you to forget how to use your own alphabet..." Seeing a path forward the older man made his suggestion, "If I teach you to use hieroglyphics, will you teach me the alphabet of Nubia?"_  
_The younger man looked up in surprise, but when he saw the sincerity of Jielz's gaze and knew the man spoke honestly and so nodded in agreement to this plan._

_Rupert Giles's Apartment, Bedroom._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

The date, which wasn't an official date but still a lot more date like than any of the date-like experiences Rupert had been on with Xander recently, had gone well. At first he'd worried the mention of Ethan researching the locket would return them to the realm of the paranormal that Rupert was trying hard to separate out from Xander as a person, but the younger man had tactfully ignored the cue and instead they'd indulged in simple, mundane, marvelous conversation.

Rupert now knew things about Alexander Harris, simple things like that his favorite food was pizza or that he was allergic to shellfish. That he preferred Star Trek to Star Wars and soccer to football. It was these things Rupert had been lacking and now that he knew what Xander's preferred music was – Country – he was able to label him as something other than 'Guy who believes he can see the future'.

But for all the success of the date that wasn't a date Rupert was still lying awake in the early hours of the morning in the wake of another bad dream. It was far harder to rationalize this time that the images he'd witnessed while asleep were his brain cataloging the day's events because, as he'd been so joyous to note, he and Xander had not discussed the locket or anything supernatural at all.

It seemed that however hard the librarian may try to isolate the Xander Harris who made amusing jokes and would often lift just the corner of his mouth in a secretive smile from the Xander Harris who reads patterns in cards and calls himself a Seer; the two were one in the same and life would seek to remind Rupert of that.

If he wished to have one – and he truly, deeply wanted to have that _one_ more than he could recall ever wanting someone before – he would have to accept the other, less believable one too. Was he willing to accept that deal? If he was, would other people accept them? He was more than twice the younger man's age and that was certainly something that would gather resentment, and how would Elizabeth respond?

The sensible thing to do would be to step away; assist the young man in finding the answer to his puzzling locket and then never see him again. _But what about Xander has ever been sensible? _Rupert's more romantic side, deeply quashed by the rational half but now getting it's say, questioned, _Nothing. Some things aren't supposed to make sense._

So as Rupert lay awake his mind set about finding an answer to his dilemma. He was torn between the wants of his heart and mind; so often before he had listened to the latter, but never before had his heart screamed so loudly.

He had to make a decision and it was not going to be an easy one.

_Library._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_The lessons in hieroglyphics progressed much more rapidly once Alzandar was participating willingly and with full effort. The process was not simple and both men exerted a lot of energy in getting the Nubian to become proficient in a new script but in a couple of months he was doing spectacularly._

_Jielz for his part was also picking up the complex Nubian writing technique fairly swiftly. The letters were elegant curves that required a different stroke of the pen to write compared to the symbol glyphs he was accustomed to._

_Once each man had mastered the formation of the other's alphabet they began to indulge in something of a game. One would write a word in their own language and explain it's meaning, the other would write the equivalent; then each would seek to master the formation of the word in the unfamiliar style the fastest. Jielz, as a practiced scholar, would almost always win at the game but he was humble in victory so Alzandar did not complain too much._

_One warm evening the many scholars of the library had left for home, leaving only Jielz and his student behind. They were playing their writing game and Alzandar was displaying excellent proficiency in his other lessons by recalling the names of the many places the scholar had taken him to in their time together and writing them for the pair to compete over. They had been working many hours already and the two were in good humor._

"_Now this word," The Nubian wrote another flowing word on his papyrus and passed it to his tutor._  
_Jielz was aware that the younger man sounded more solemn than he had before and was somewhat wary as he asked, "What word is this?"_  
"_It is the feeling that a man has for a woman," Alzandar replied quietly, he took a steady breath before continuing, "and sometimes the feeling that a man has for another man."_  
_The scholar's breath caught in his throat and he stood simply watching the Nubian for several seconds. Alzandar seemed tense, waiting for a response to his bold suggestion, "Love," Jielz spoke at last, "You write 'love' like..." He picked up a pen to write the word in glyphs for his student, attempting to shield himself behind the charade of their game; but Alzandar stepped closer and took the hand in his own, forcing Jielz to drop the pen._

_The scholar watched as the younger man took his hand and placed it to the Nubian's cheek. Alzandar's single eye was colored a dark brown, like the Nile and also like the great river there was enormous depth in the expression. Jielz found himself captivated by it, the young man stroked his cheek against the knuckles of his tutor's hand in a gesture of unmistakable affection._  
"_Beset?" The scholar questioned, voice wavering slightly._  
"_I loved her," The Nubian replied, "Her hair is gold like the desert sands and her skin soft like fresh linen. She is kind and affectionate like Ma'al herself and she offered me sanctuary in a time where all others acted as if I was a beast of burden; but for all these great attributes she is also self-centered and childish. She parades me before her friends as if I am a possession and only inquires as to when my education will be done and never if I enjoy it or what I have learned."_  
"_You are to marry her," Jielz protested weakly._  
"_I am," The young man agreed, "But I _love_ you."_

_Ahead of Jielz there lay two paths; one a path of righteousness and honor, the other of secrecy and selfish indulgence. It was clear to the man which path he should take, also which he wished to take and their contrasting nature. Looking again into the depths of younger man's eye the scholar made his decision; leaning close to press their lips together, he chose Alzandar._


	6. Chapter 6

_Rupert Giles's Apartment._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

Rupert had tossed and turned for several hours with the problem running over and over in his head before eventually falling asleep with something of a decision made. He'd awoken, once again exhausted, and started his morning routine when he was interrupted by the phone.  
"Hello, Rupert Giles speaking." Holding the phone against his ear with his shoulder Rupert resumed pouring his Cornflakes.  
"You want the good news, the bad news or the crazy news first?" Ethan asked by way of greeting.  
Adjusted to the mannerisms of his friend the librarian wasted no time trying to instigate a normal conversation and simply answered the question, "The good I suppose."  
"Right," Ethan sounded annoyingly smug, "I found your symbol for you."  
"... and?" Rupert prompted when his friend failed to elaborate.  
"That's the crazy news; it's Nubian."  
"Nuh-Nubian?" Setting the milk carton he'd just retrieved from the fridge down on the counter Rupert found himself turning to look towards the bedroom where he knew 'The Sorceror's Love' was still sitting on the bedside table.  
"A small kingdom in northern Africa at about 1300BC, not much is known about it since most of it's culture was obscured when the Egyptians took over and heck, most of their writings were destroyed by the Romans centuries later."  
"Right," Rupert mumbled, he felt oddly tense, "You said there was bad news?"  
"Well you see the thing is, I _know_ this is Nubian; I just don't know what it is exactly..." He trailed off, sounding irritated once more at not having all the answers, "I found someone who might know however, supposed to be an expert in the study of fallen kingdoms of Africa, including Nubia. I think you might know him."  
"Who?" Something about the way Ethan was talking made him worried.  
"Pryce," Ethan supplied.  
Rupert groaned, finally loosening somewhat; "That is bad news."  
"I warned you," Ethan's amused grin was audible, "How are you then, got time for a talk with an old friend?"  
_Now he wants to talk? _Rupert grumbled, "Some other time Ethan, I'm rather pressed for time at the moment."

Once the pleasantries were over with Rupert disconnected the call and returned the phone to its holder. His rational and romantic side were both itching at the corners of his mind begging to confront one another on this new piece of information, but for now a comfortable chunk of numb shock was holding them at bay.

Severely put off the thought of food the librarian returned the milk to the fridge and simply pushed the bowl of dry Cornflakes aside. In ten minutes he'd have to set off for work, that would be enough time for a shower; Rupert just hoped the heated spray would wash away the skin-crawling sensation he was currently experiencing.

_Temple of Osiris._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_Jielz was not an overly religious man; he did not avoid religion, he attended festivals and temples like any other citizen but nor did he openly seek aid from the gods. He was a man who sought to master his own problems, who found great joy in the physical world and did not wonder so much about the unknowable, intangible workings of the gods. It was why he had chosen the path of a scholar instead of the more respected paths he had been equally qualified to take, such as that of a doctor or an architect. Doctors relied on Imhotep and architects on Ptah, scholars needed only their own input, their own hard work led to the mastery of their career._

_Yet in times of crisis it is not unknown for a man to abandon his principles and true to this Jielz had traveled to the Temple of Osiris. He had taken Alzandar here several times to teach him about the mighty Osiris but not nearly so often as they had attended other temples._  
"_It is rare to see you here. Could it be you have finally accepted my words are true?"_  
_Opening his eyes from where he had been knelt in prayer Jielz turned to face the stooping, elderly High Priest who has spoken, "Hello father."_  
"_Pah," The ancient man spat, "Father? Some role model I was to you, what do you do with your life? You fill scrolls and scrolls with all the workings of this world, how will that help you in the afterlife?"_  
"_I did not come here to argue with you." The librarian turned his attention back to the mural in front of him._  
"_Then why come here, to seek help from Osiris?" From the tone of his voice it was clear that the High Priest disbelieved that._  
"_I sinned yesterday," Jielz found it easier to speak while looking at the green face of the god in the mural in front of him, as though he were speaking the words direct to him and not to his father, "Already I feel the weight of it upon my heart. I came to seek knowledge from the Judge, is there time to repair the ill I have committed or will the scales always tip in my disfavor no matter my actions from this day?"_  
"_What sin?" When Jielz remained silent his father repeated himself at a louder volume, "What sin have you committed boy?"_  
_The librarian turned to face his decrepit father, the High Priest was a bitter man warped by piety and spite who seemed to only be alive by the grace of the god he served or by sheer stubbornness. For much of his life Jielz had disliked his father, but never more so than at that moment, "It is not your business what my sin is. May it be absolved?"_  
_The wrinkled forehead of the old man creased further as he scowled, "You are a dishonest man Jielz and therefore a man with no hope. Seek whatever means of purification you wish, you will be thrown to the devourer in the end."_  
"_I can see I should not have come here." Standing up the librarian dusted down his robes and gave a restrained, but respectful, nod to his silent father before leaving the Temple of Osiris and all thoughts of righteousness behind._

_Public Library._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

The numb shock had worn off but now the concentration required to perform his job through the haze of exhaustion was keeping Rupert from having to focus on the revelation that the locket was Nubian. In the few moments he had were there was enough time for the two conflicting voices in his head to commence bickering he had reached the conclusion that, while shocking, the locket being Nubian was likely nothing more than a coincidence; like the coincidence of 'The Sorceror's Love' finding it's way into the Occult section in the first place.

The question that was now occupying any spare moment of clarity Rupert happened to find was whether he should tell Xander what Ethan had discovered; after all that was why he'd contacted his friend in the first place. However, as much his rational side may have tried to insist the Nubian locket was simply coincidence Rupert could not stop the smaller voice suggesting there was more to it and the increasing number of similarities between the fictional book and his own life had the librarian feeling slightly paranoid.

"Hi Rupert." The librarian was startled as his mental argument was interrupted, "You okay there?" Xander asked looking worried.  
"I'm fine," Rupert replied, waving away the concern with an arm that moved sluggishly, "Just a bit tired today."  
"That's good." The younger man seemed relieved, "I mean, not good that you're tired," He corrected quickly, "I mean, good like you aren't a zombie or something, just you looked a little evil dead for a moment there..." Xander fidgeted under the librarian's perplexed stare, "... I was gonna do another reading, you want to help?"  
_Coincidence. Something more. Coincidence! What about the locket? Co-in-ci-dence. _As the two opposing viewpoints resumed their inner debate Rupert agreed as always to assist the younger man in his reading.

Xander set the cards in his swift, methodical fashion but before he had even turned the first Witness card Rupert noticed an addition to the pattern, the Sight and Physician cards from before had been joined by 'The Poet', "There are three Accused cards."  
"Yeah, I learned something new," Xander offered as explanation.  
"May I ask what?" There was a hint of Rupert's lingering frustration at being denied the knowledge of the cards' meanings in the question.  
"I suppose," Xander mumbled sheepishly, reaching towards the pattern he tapped the Sight card, "This one is Aunt Dru, she gave me the locket and told me to find out it's meaning." He touched the Physician card next to it, "The Physician means aid or help in some form. I've come to believe it represents your friend, the one who studies symbols." Rupert decided if Xander asked him directly he wouldn't lie to him, but the younger man moved on to the next card without query, "This one's you."  
"Me?" The librarian asked, surprised.  
"Oz told me I was on the path to knowledge, but even so the cards were still confusing me; I needed to know more. Yesterday I realized Oz wasn't just talking to me, he was talking to you as well. You're a part of all this somehow..." The fortune teller looked up from the table, stared at Rupert with complete certainty in his one eye, "I just don't know how yet..." He admitted, letting the intense gaze drop.

_Coincidence, coincidence, coincidence! _Rupert's logical side was shrieking like a banshee as it could see the decision the man was about to make, but it went unheard, "I- I think... That is, I will help, if you want me to."  
Xander looked up shyly through his eyelashes, a small smile growing as he realized the older man was serious, "Thanks." The young man began to tap a random rhythm on the tabletop with his fingers, "I mean, for not being weird or anything. I understand this must all be a bit... well, weird."  
"Certainly uncommon, but nothing too bizarre." The librarian sought to reassure Xander, "Now is it okay if I begin the reading?"  
"Oh yeah, go ahead," The younger man sat up suddenly, as if just remembering the cards before them.  
Confident in the workings of the cards this time Rupert contemplated his choices for a few seconds before selecting the card directly below the Judge, "'Fire'."  
"Oh no," Xander mumbled distressed, "You can't take _that_ card."  
"I can't?" The librarian felt his confidence drain away as he stared at the card, the image was of a lit candle and the merry flame seemed to be mocking him.  
"You have to take the card below the Judge last," Xander explained, "Now the whole formation will be inaccurate."  
"I didn't know, I'm..." The apology was cut short when Xander burst into a fit of laughter.  
"I'm sorry, it's just... oh, you should have seen your face," The young man cackled madly.  
Feeling a combination of embarrassment and relief Rupert smiled thinly in appreciation of the fortune teller's jest, his own amusement was increased however when a nearby patron shushed Xander loudly, reminding him that they were in a library.

_Eastern Banks of the Nile._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_The day after his confrontation with his father Jielz returned to his duty in educating Alzandar; however their shared kiss stayed clear in the minds of both men and it soon became apparent no work would be achieved. The scholar had declared another educational trip into the city as excuse to any who might be listening and the pair left._

_Jielz led the way to the domestic area of the eastern side, turned away from the entrance to the many streets and instead led them on a path through the communal gardens. Alzandar delighted in the fragrant air, perfumed by the wild flowers deliberately planted to be enjoyed by the citizens who lived nearby; but the older man still had intent in his step and his journey led them beyond the gardens, down to a secluded area beside the great river._

_The scholar settled down in the shadow of a tree and sat still staring out over the water. Unsure how to respond to the strange behavior of his tutor the Nubian approached cautiously, but once it seemed unlikely that he was about to be sent away he sat down beside the older man._  
"_What lies on the western shore that captivates you so?" The younger man asked._  
_Jielz did not reply for some time, when he did he turned away from the Nile and edged his hand along the dirt until it found Alzandar's, "What captivates me is here on the eastern shore." The scholar squeezed the hand tightly before releasing it and returning to his feet, approaching the edge of the river he continued speaking, "But captivation shall leave me captive in the end."_

"_What do you mean?" Getting to his feet too Alzandar followed his tutor to the water's edge._  
"_You are to marry Beset," The scholar repeated his protest from the night of the kiss._  
"_I never denied that."_  
"_You do not love her."_  
"_I love you!" The Nubian took Jielz's arm and tried to turn the scholar to look at him, but his grip was shaken off._  
"_If you do not love her then you will wed her with dishonesty, that is sinful and unfair to Beset. If you do not marry her then there is no reason for me to teach you. If I do not teach you then I shall have no reason to see you and if I do not see you I shall despair. I am enslaved by my captivation, doomed to be a dishonest man and partner to a dishonest man. You are the only one who can save me."_  
"_How?" Alzandar asked, close to tears at the pain he could hear in the voice of the man he loved._  
"_You must forget your love for me. You must never speak of it again. You must finish your lessons, earn your citizenship and marry Beset. Then you and I must never see one another again," Jielz instructed, each command delivered rapidly and filled with agony._  
"_Why can I not marry Beset and be with you?" The younger man begged._  
"_You would lie to her every day of your lives together?" The scholar snapped fiercely._  
"_You would have me lie to myself every day of my life with her?" Alzandar returned with just as much passion, the right side of his face was streaked with tears; "I love you, I cannot ignore or forget that..." He reached forward and took Jielz's hand as he had done before, placing it against his cheek, "How can you not feel my love for you?"_

"_If we are together no-one must ever know. Could you live a life of such secrecy?" The scholar's tone was gentle now._  
"_I could," The Nubian affirmed instantly._  
_Jielz lifted his other hand to the young man's face and wiped the lingering tears away; leaning close he again chose Alzandar with a kiss, this time he would not regret nor question the decision._


	7. Chapter 7

_Public Library._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

'The Fire card is strongly linked to The Scholar and primarily answers 'what' based questions, it does however have lesser meanings that can answer questions of the other members of the Court; most strongly that of the Priest.'  
"So this card does answer 'what' questions," Rupert summarized.  
"Yes, which is definitely a step in the right direction," Xander answered, eager to progress to the next card in the reading but tolerating Rupert's need to indulge himself in the book of meanings. The young man was sure the librarian found the lengthy writings fascinating but he had learned in his youth to merely consult the book on the immediate instance and resist the urge to read too deeply in case he should lose himself in it for hours.

'The most obvious meanings for the Fire card are disaster and catastrophe, but often these interpretations are far too simple. Fire _can_ denote bad tidings as the cause of action in the question, but this is often on a small scale that would be missed by many...'  
"I see what you mean about there being many meanings to each card." The librarian stopped reading and allowed his eyes to scan down the page, the various interpretations continued all the way down and onto the next page.  
"It's one part of what makes the cards so hard to read," Xander replied, "Mostly you have to look at the pattern as a whole, find a connection somewhere." The hint was less than subtle but the older man didn't seem to mind as Xander made the next selection, "'Stone'."

While also a 'what' related card the 'Stone' card was linked to solidarity and so contradicted the previously drawn 'Fire' card. As the reading continued a pattern emerged, a card would be drawn only for a seemingly opposing card to be turned immediately afterwards. Rupert could tell that the younger man was becoming frustrated as the cards told them a contradictory story, but the many images being presented were all strange to the librarian, quieting the concern he had been having about 'The Sorceror's Love', after all if the most mystical of all the strange occurrences he'd been subjected to recently showed no trace of a link between the pages of the book and the existing, tangible world around them that had to prove any similarity between the two was simple coincidence, didn't it? _But since when do I trust the workings of a set of magic cards? _Rupert asked himself irritably.

"'Heart'." Rupert read the title of the next card and felt a sinking sensation in his stomach.  
"Again?" Xander questioned, "It definitely shouldn't be here, it's a 'when' card."  
"Maybe it has a 'what' meaning," The librarian suggested slowly, hesitant to voice his concern for what the card may represent, "Don't hearts mean love?"  
"No," The fortune teller replied instantly, but with conviction, "The deck pre-dates the notion of the heart and love being related."  
It occurred to Rupert that he had never asked exactly when the deck had been made, but he put the thought out of his mind to focus on a more pressing question, "Eternity," Rupert recited once he'd found the part of the page that began to list the cards meanings, "Sometimes a cycle or bloodline."  
"'When' answers," The younger man stated, "This card shouldn't be here."

As Xander reached to turn the next card Rupert was suddenly struck by a thought that he couldn't explain; the next card was going to be 'The Hourglass' again, the scene playing out exactly as his last reading with the young man had gone.  
"'The Hourglass'," Xander read, "Another 'when' card, I guess this reading's fallen apart." The young man didn't sound angry that the reading was over, or even slightly spooked as though he too had suspected what the card might be; he simply sounded tired.  
"Time, most notably a lack of time. Harvest. Death..." Rupert began to read the meanings for the Hourglass card but his voice wavered on the third.  
"So another contradiction?" Xander asked, he'd let his head slump onto the tabletop, but now he looked up again with an eyebrow raised in question, "Whatever the cards are saying I can't make sense of it. I guess I still need to know more... Has your friend found anything yet?"  
Although earlier the librarian had vowed he would tell the truth should he be asked directly, he now compulsively lied, "No!" Realizing his denial was less than believable Rupert sought to cover it, "That is, uh, not yet... soon, maybe..."  
"Okay," Xander accepted the lie but the librarian could tell he had not been totally believed.

After bidding the young man a farewell distractedly Rupert returned to his work in a daze. His mind was puzzling over the latest revelations and he found himself more confused than ever. He had never openly believed in anything so ridiculous as the cards, but now that the puzzle of the locket was inside Rupert's consciousness he knew he would not be able to forget it without an answer being found and it seemed, however unlikely it might be, that the best way to find those answers would be with the ever-confusing cards.

In the end he settled upon ignoring the events of the day for the time being, he would phone Pryce later that evening and provide Xander with all the information the next time they met. Then the damned cards would hopefully provide an answer that would quell the librarian's curiosity and he could return to his peaceful existence where he did not need to adjust his world view so regularly.

_Jielz's Home._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_With the time of Alzandar's citizenship test rapidly approaching the Nubian was being given more time to spend with his tutor; this was both a great gift and a great frustration, for as much as he enjoyed the company of the man he loved Alzandar knew the essential nature of secrecy in their intimacy and so the increased hours he had to spend at the library with Jielz were spent with each man keeping his affection for the other tightly contained._

_The trips to the city were less now; the Nubian had proven himself capable and so his time was spent reviewing his knowledge in the library instead of on location in the temples or industries. So the young man had been thrilled when Jielz had called the lessons off early one day and suggested they abandon the library for the day. Alzandar would have been happy anywhere, but when his secret love took him to his home he could not possibly have felt more joy._

"_You live here alone?" The Nubian questioned. The house was not grand, a simple building with two rooms on the ground floor and one with an adjoining balcony on the upper level; but it could still have housed more than one solitary man and it was unusual to live in isolation in Egypt._  
"_I earn enough to pay the rent by myself, I am happy here," Jielz replied, he seemed neither proud nor humble by his conditions._  
"_So there is no chance we will be found?"_  
"_It is unlikely anyone will visit," The scholar agreed. He had barely finished speaking when he found himself embraced by his companion._  
"_I can hardly stand to be around you and not express my love," Alzandar mumbled the words against the older man's throat, "But I know I should cherish each moment, for I fear once I am married I shall never see you."_  
"_Once you are married you will be a free citizen of the country, you will be able to act upon any whim. If you wish to visit me, it shall be so."_  
"_But I will have obligations to Beset, obligations that cannot be easily ignored. What if I lose so much time to her there is none left for you?"_  
"_If that is so I will make time for you," Jielz answered, he took the younger man's hand and pressed it to his own cheek, mimicking the gesture Alzandar used on him, "Feel my love for you and know I speak the truth." In reply to this the Nubian leaned up and kissed the other man fiercely, weeks of restrained passion bursting through him and filling him with desperate need. His fingers found their way beneath the folds of Jielz's robes and ran through coarse chest hair, the Nubian could not contain a keen of interest as he explored this new territory. The scholar in turn traced patterns down the bronzed back of his eager lover, stopping to grip his bare waist and break the kiss._

"_What are your intentions here?" Jielz panted his question, his fingers twitching in position at Alzandar's waist as red hot desire burned within him._  
"_If my intentions are not clear to you I must have been doing something wrong." The Nubian grinned widely and placed a soft, open-mouthed kiss to the scholar's throat, while using the hands still within the man's robes to push the garment from his shoulders._  
"_Your own intent may wilt if overwhelmed by my own." The scholar could see the younger man's erection disrupting the pleats of his skirt and had to summon up control from the very depths of his being to ensure he would not push Alzandar too far in a frenzy of passion, "If you are not ready..."_  
"_I trust you," Alzandar whispered against the heated skin of Jielz's chest as he leaned low to push the scholar's robes down further, the young man's fingertips were now tangled in the trail of hair leading down into the robes and towards Jielz's own hard cock._

_The scholar began to lead his beloved student towards the staircase, but their pace was dramatically slowed by their continued embrace. While walking backwards up the stairs Jielz had fallen and pulled Alzandar down on top of him, neither had minded and when the Nubian's exploratory hands at last found their way past the last layers of cloth and grasped the older man's hard shaft their progress towards the upper story halted completely for some time. It could well have been that their coupling was completed in the stairway, but the need for a deeper connection at last drove the two men to finish their ascent and enter Jielz's bedroom._

_While the younger man made his way instantly to the bed and settled into the soft linen covers the scholar headed instead to his bath side cabinet and retrieved the sweetest scented oil he owned, placing the bottle down where it would be easily reached, he allowed himself a moment to simply observe the gorgeous young man he was about to share his bed with._

_Alzandar, impatient to this plan, sprung up from the bed before his moment was complete and pulled the still clinging robes away; casting them aside as he had done with his own skirt mere moments before._  
"_They'll wrinkle," Jielz chastised._  
"_That is not a concern for now," Alzandar replied, pulling the scholar close for their first moment of total skin-to-skin intimacy. Faced that the older man had to agree._

_The Nubian was a confident, abrasive and somewhat clumsy lover. He explored the older man's body, found sensitive areas and paid them great attention before resuming his search. Jielz was not unresponsive to this action, but after enjoying it for a limited time he took command of their activity and rolled the younger man onto his back._

_As Jielz reached for the jar of oil Alzandar seemed to understand and spread himself appropriately. As the fragrant oil filled Jielz's senses he looked down once more at the Nubian spread willingly before him; in the young man's single eye there was once again emotion as deep as the Nile, but the single feeling the older man could discern was apprehension._  
"_It will hurt..." The scholar traced a hand down the Nubian's side and squeezed his hip firmly, "I cannot stop that, but I promise it will feel pleasurable once we begin."_  
_The apprehension flickered and then vanished completely from the Nubian's gaze and he placed his own hand over the one on his hip, letting his fingers caress Jielz's own._

_The tenderness continued as Jielz prepared the younger man's opening with the oil; he took his time, both for the purpose of not overwhelming the Nubian but also because the tight heat was causing the fire of his own arousal to intensify and he had to calm himself to prevent the entire coupling ending in anticlimax. However once Alzandar was ready and – much to the satisfaction of the scholar's ego – begging for them to be joined the pace accelerated._

_It was hard, fast, loud and deeply satisfying for both men._

_It was some time before either could find the energy or willpower to leave and when Jielz eventually did abandon their comfortable embrace in the soft linen it was only to gather a flannel and pour a bowl of water so they could clean themselves. Once clean they returned to their position engulfed in one another, enjoying the closeness of their forms._

_Rupert Giles's Apartment._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Fall, 2003._

Rupert sat at his desk reading over the telephone number that was now burned into his short term memory, his gaze alternated between the phone on the desk and his second glass of whiskey which was sitting beside it. Once more fighting off the memory of his peculiar premonition from earlier that day Rupert reluctantly dialed the number.  
"Office of Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, PhD and foremost expert on the lost kingdoms of Africa."  
Rupert was strongly tempted to hang up on the pompous sod, who appeared to have actually gotten worse since he had known him back in his days at the museum, "Dr. Pryce..." and how had that frustrating little blister ever earned a doctorate anyway? "It's Rupert Giles. I believe Ethan told you I might ring."  
"Ah yes." Pryce sounded irritatingly perky. _Bloody times zones! _"I've studied your mystery symbol and I have to say I'm fascinated."  
The man spoke with passion and interest which either made the symbol extraordinary or elusive, and perhaps it reflected on Rupert's opinion of the other man that he assumed the latter, "You don't recognize it?"  
"Oh no, I recognize it. You see this isn't simply any part of the Nubian alphabet; this is the Royal Seal," Pryce's tone was excited, "The Cairo Museum has an artifact recovered from an area that was once part of Nubia that has the same seal, but no other item has been found. If you have in your possession something baring this mark it could be of enormous historical value."  
"I'm afraid I don't," The librarian lied immediately, "I stumbled upon the symbol in a book and I simply found it interesting."  
"Oh, oh..." The disappointment was clear in the doctor's tone, "That is a shame. I suppose the book might still be of significance however."  
"You said the symbol was the Royal Seal," Rupert quickly turned the topic back to his initial interest, "What would the royals of Nubia have been like?"  
"Oh, very much like any royal family you might expect. Palaces and grandeur," Pryce spoke with the enthusiasm one has for their own personal area of expertise, "They were however fairly progressive for the time in terms of how they treat citizens. They didn't appear to judge people based on any class system, they had the power but they favored anyone, from the elite to the lowliest worker in the fields and they would bestow privilege as they saw fit."  
"... and the seal?" The librarian prompted.  
"Each member of the royal family would carry an item of value with the seal marked upon it in some fashion. Since there was one for every member there must be hundreds buried in the sands somewhere, but the only one we know of is here in the museum."  
Rupert listened to Pryce ramble for several minutes longer before seizing the first presented opportunity to politely thank the younger man for his assistance and abandon further discussion.

Rupert sat at his desk for some time thinking over what he had learned from his irritating acquaintance. He felt strongly that all the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, but he could not yet detect a discernible pattern. Still, he had enough information for Xander to be able to place a few Court cards in the center of the circle and that would hopefully be enough for the fortune teller to learn the truth.

Looking towards the stairs the librarian contemplated his chances of getting a good night's rest that night; with the enigma of 'The Sorceror's Love' still waiting for him on his bedside table the possibility of sleep was slim at best. Draining the last of his whiskey in one gulp Rupert headed upstairs, intent to spend the night ignoring both the book and the niggling voices inside his head.


	8. Chapter 8

_Courthouse._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_The day of Alzandar's examination had arrived and the young man could not possibly have been more nervous. The man who was to judge him had arrived from Las Ankhelos the evening before, although not much older than Alzandar the man had strong connections, closely linked to even the Pharaoh himself._

_The Nubian had arrived at first light to avoid being late and making a bad impression. For some time he had paced the wide floor of the courthouse, then Haunk and Beset had arrived; both wishing him well, and they had provided enough of a distraction to keep him preoccupied until Jielz had arrived along with the judge._

_Alzandar had tried his best to look presentable as the two men had filed right past him into a room along with Hanuk. The Nubian had expressed his confusion and Beset had explained that as a slave the majority of his test would be the opinions of his master and tutor. Beset had stayed with him for some time but her agitation was obvious and he promised to find her once he knew of his results._

_Again alone in the courthouse the young man had paced and prayed alternately to Ma'al and to Bast, not sure which incarnation of his goddess he was supposed to believe in._  
"_Alzandar." Jielz's voice made the young man stumble as he was turning to pace up the next length of floor, his tutor had just left the room where his evaluation was taking place and seemed to be alone._  
_Alzandar hurried to his lover's side, "Is it going well? Please tell me it's going well," The young man begged, his turmoil making itself known._  
"_It is fine nannus." Jielz whispered the term of endearment, placing his hands gently on the young man's shoulders to express his affection in a way that would not seem peculiar to any witnesses, "All is well and by the end of this day you shall be Egyptian."_  
_Jielz could feel the tension leaving Alzandar's shoulders as the young man exhaled steadily, "You truly believe that?"_  
"_I am certain." The scholar stood away quickly as the door opened once again and Hanuk appeared._  
"_He is ready for you now," Alzandar's master stated, stepping aside so the young man could enter._

_For an important man who had come all the way from the city of Las Ankhelos the room was rather small, "You are Alzandar?" The judge was sat at a desk, he too looked rather small._  
"_I am," The Nubian replied, "Sir," He added swiftly, best to be respectful._  
"_Your master speaks well of you," As he spoke the judge was scribbling something on a sheet of papyrus, the young man was uncertain as to why seeing as he had not yet answered any questions._  
"_He is a good master..." Alzandar stated uncertainly when the silence stretched._  
"_Your tutor too, seems to say you are a very intelligent young man."_  
"_Jielz is a very wise man." For the first time the judge looked up at Alzandar and the Nubian felt himself flinch backwards a little._  
"_You believe so?" The judge asked._  
"_I... do." The Nubian nodded slightly, this was not what he had expected._  
"_Your tutor is no-one special," The judge spoke disdainfully, "Just as you are no-one of importance. You may believe yourself to be in the favor of those who matter but it is I who shall choose your fate and I see no reason to favor you."_

_Alzandar stood in silence for some time simply watching the man before him. He had not flinched again as the man spewed his self-focused rant, he was beginning to see why the man looked so small. He was young trying to be old, foolish trying to be wise, he seemed to have traces of Jielz about him but where as Jielz had chosen a path that suited him this man was trying to walk a path he was not suited for, "Each man is a raindrop. One raindrop raises the sea," Alzandar quoted the teaching, shutting his eye and remembering the sweet cadence of his tutor's voice as he had read from the Book of Isis._  
_When he reopened his eye he found the man looking impressed, though he quickly attempted to set his features into indifference, "It seems you are... not entirely foolish."_

_Public Library._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Winter, 2003._

The first day of Winter was not a good day to have a muggy head from alcohol and only three hours of sleep under one's belt. The morning air greeted Rupert like a slap from an angry woman and several cups of tea later he was still feeling severely beaten down. He conserved energy as much as possible throughout the day, moving slowly when returning books to their shelves and spending long hours sat at the front desk dozing, anticipating closing time when he could return home and fall directly into bed.

But when the closing hour eventually arrived and Rupert left the library he found himself sleepily following his usual route out into the parking lot. It was only when he arrived that he remembered he'd been far too exhausted to drive to work that morning and so had taken the bus instead. However, while his car might have been missing from his usual parking space it was not empty, sat on the raised wall separating the lot from the patch of grass than ran alongside was Xander.  
"Rupert, hey..." Spotting the librarian stood halfway across the tarmac the young man stood up and jogged over.  
"What are you doing out here?" Rupert asked, while not as cold as Winters back in Britain it was certainly rather chilly out.  
"I was waiting for you," Xander replied, there was an unspoken 'duh' hanging in the air.  
"You could have come inside."  
"No, it's... I need to talk to you."  
"My friend found out what the symbol means..." Rupert began readily.  
"No!" The young man interrupted, sounding rather alarmed, "It's not that."  
"Then what?" The librarian asked, rather irritably from both the cold and the lack of sleep.  
"Not here," The one-eyed man had to turn his head to get a full view of the empty parking lot, he shifted the satchel on his shoulder nervously, "My apartment is only about ten minutes away, will you come over?"  
"We can't discuss this here?"  
"Please," Xander pleaded, he might've stuck out his lower lip and pouted but instead he was simply staring at the older man with enough intensity for Rupert to know he was serious.  
"Okay," Rupert accepted the younger man's invitation, at least they would be out of the cold.

The apartment building Xander lived in was nothing too run-down, but certainly nothing fancy either. The apartment itself was number seven and was located on the first floor. Xander led the way inside, past a couple of doors to and archway which was the last on the left, it led into a comfortable lounge; wooden floorboards mostly hidden under a thick rug.

Xander had kicked his work boots off the moment he entered the room so Rupert balanced on one leg, then the other to follow suit in removing his footwear.  
"I don't exactly have a coat stand, so uhm, just throw it anywhere," Xander instructed, demonstrating by throwing his own jacket over the back of the couch. He bounced from foot to foot watching as Rupert removed his own coat and set it down on the floor beside his shoes. The young man seemed so nervous that the librarian could feel his familiar warmth towards him breaking through the layers of cynicism and rationality he'd been building up recently, "Do you want coffee?" Xander asked suddenly.  
"Tea if you have it," Rupert replied, joining the younger man in standing about awkwardly. Silence was all the answer the librarian needed, "You don't have it."  
"I could get you a t-shirt," Xander offered, "Or, uhm, if you gave me a while I could cook a really mean t-bone steak, but um, tea; not so much."  
"Then coffee will do fine." Rupert matched the younger man's shaky grin with an amused smile of his own.  
"Right; sit, be at home," Xander instructed, gesturing towards the couch, "I'll go make coffee." He span on one foot and headed out of the room, crossing the hall into the small kitchen opposite.

Rupert settled into the worn leather gladly, stretching out like a cat he dug his socked toes into the rug and raised his arms above his head. The stretch served to ease some of the stiffness that had gathered about him over the course of the day, but he was still aware that he'd need a decent night's rest and soon.

Xander returned promptly carrying two mugs of much needed caffeine; one mug was plain white, the other bore the slogan 'It's always hammer time if you're a carpenter.' Sipping from the mug with the slogan the young man held out the plain mug to his companion. Once Rupert had accepted the mug the younger man settled down into a seat at a perpendicular angle to the couch and placed his own coffee down on the coffee table, beside an earthenware bowl filled with cats-eye marbles.  
"I need you to answer a question for me Rupert..." Xander stated, looking at the bowl full of marbles rather than at the man, "Why are you helping me?"  
"You asked for my help," Rupert replied, rather taken aback.  
"I know I asked, but; why did you say yes?" The younger man pushed.  
"I - I wanted to help," The librarian answered at last.  
"Do you still want to help?"  
"Of course."  
"Why?" The question surprised Rupert and it took him a few moments to find an answer but when he drew breath to speak Xander cut across him, "Be honest with me Rupert, _please_." The young man looked up and the pleading expression he'd had in the parking lot had returned.  
"I... _need_ to know," Rupert admitted, "It's always on the fringes of my mind, tormenting me. I need to know for my sake as much as yours."  
"That's what I was afraid of," Xander mumbled, reaching forward to pick up his mug of coffee again. Sitting with the mug cupped between his hands the young man observed the murky depths of the beverage, "If we find the answer, if the mystery isn't there anymore; would I still see you?"  
"If you came to the library..." Rupert began to answer.  
"I don't mean that," Xander interrupted fiercely, "You know I didn't mean that.

"Aunt Dru had visions, not just glimpses of the future like I get; full on visions where she could see the future and change it. She left me a locket and a note to find out what it means and I figured she must have had a vision involving the locket... but what if it wasn't the locket? What if it's you Rupert? What if that's what's supposed to happen, but I don't know - I just..." He trailed off taking deep breaths.  
"Xander," Rupert spoke gently, fighting off his rational side and pressing all the softness of his romantic side into his voice.  
"Promise me." Xander rubbed at his eye before continuing, "Promise me that even if we find out what the locket is, that you'll still give me a chance."  
"Xander," Rupert repeated the younger man's name, settling onto his knees he shuffled forward and leaned closer. Both men hesitated slightly, their lips quivering so close to each other they could feel the others breath and then they were joined in a short kiss, "I promise."

_Festival Square._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_Alzandar was a citizen and Egypt and the city was celebrating. Those two events were completely unrelated but it entertained the former-Nubian to believe that truly every member of the city was dancing or singing or getting drunk because of his great joy._

_The real purpose of the Festival was the celebrate the Gods and the simple blessing of life. Beset had even halted all her many preparations for their wedding, so they might enjoy the day. She had arrived in his chambers that morning with a group of close friends and they'd delighted in dressing her future husband for the occasion. Bright colors, jewelry and a rather silly wig. Alzandar could not pretend that he had not enjoyed himself._

_Close to midday however the rising heat had taken some of the fun out of the event; while he wished to find a place to rest, the endless energy of Beset had her dragging him throughout the bustling crowds seeking out new entertainment each time she became bored. In the end Jielz was his salvation, they stumbled upon the scholar and Beset had insisted on stopping to thank him for his efforts in educating Alzandar. When Femi had made her way over the young woman had distracted Beset enough that Alzandar and Jielz were able to make an escape._  
"_You are having fun?" The scholar inquired, he had beer in his hand and the rosy flush of his cheeks suggested it was not his first._  
"_More fun than I have had since arriving in this land," Alzandar professed with a wide grin, "Well, except for..." He let his sentence trail off, his meaning clear._  
_The secretive lovers stayed in one another's company for the remainder of the day, enjoying their game of keeping ahead of the searching Beset and the atmosphere of the Festival allowing them to be more openly affectionate than was the norm without fear of being noticed._

_It was as the sun was setting that Beset finally caught up to them, "There you are, do you know how long I have been looking for you?"_  
"_For some time?" Alzandar guessed, he was in too high spirits to be concerned about his fiancées irritation._  
"_It doesn't matter now, you must come on down to the water side. I have promised that you will perform for the crowds." Taking his hand she began to lead his husband-to-be._  
"_You promised without asking me first?" The young man asked, bemused at her actions._  
"_A good husband does as his wife wishes."_  
"_Funny, I thought it was a wife who did her husband's will," Jielz replied following along behind._  
"_Yes, but we aren't married yet," Beset turned to grin at her former tutor._

_A semi-circle of people had formed at the Nile's edge and the boisterous blond dragged Alzandar into the center of the gathering, before returning to stand beside Jielz._  
"_Could, um... does anyone have a staff I could borrow?" The one-eyed man inquired nervously._  
_Once a long, wooden staff had been volunteered the former Nubian tested the length of it a few times before confirming it was suitable. Pressing one end into the dirt in front of him, he spun in a circle flicking the staff upright as he did so, from the earth a flame erupted and followed the path of the staff, encircling the young man in a violent spiral of fire._

_More than one member of the impromptu audience gasped aloud, but before anyone could do more than express their shock the flames had spun away from the sorceror, out over the surface of the Nile illuminating the river._  
_Jielz was impressed by his young lover's mastery of the arts, but he and the rest of the crowd were only just beginning to witness the miracle of the man's crafting. The orange flames dancing atop the river were not dying out as expected, but instead growing in size and taking on a defined shape. Mere moments later two separate forms comprised of flame were waltzing together, the first was the form of Ra and the second of Bast._

No, not Bast, _Jielz realized as he watched the graceful figures spin together elegantly, _Ma'al. _He watched as the Kingdom deities of two separate lands moved in sync with one another, this was Alzandar expressing his new dual nationality and only he truly understood. He caught his lover's eye to show his understanding and from where he stood, keeping the enchantment going the younger man smiled. A number of small flames broke away from the dancing gods and darted like fireflies towards the crowd, standing in the sky above Beset and Jielz the tiny flames darted swiftly spelling out letters in the Nubian alphabet, a word Jielz was familiar with. Love._


	9. Chapter 9

_Eastern Banks of the Nile.  
__Dayl.  
__Sun Province.  
__New Kingdom._

_The sun had set in the Sun Province. The river reflected the stars of the night sky, slightly distorted by the ripples caused by a light breeze._

_The day had ended but Beset stubbornly refused to accept the fact and insisted upon finding one last activity to enjoy before the festival was over. Alzandar and Jielz complied to her wishes, if only to avoid further insistence from the young woman and to procrastinate upon the moment when they would have to depart from each others' company until some uncertain future chance to meet again._

_'The Fall of the Desert Jewel: A Play in Three Acts' was well into it's third act by the time the two lovers and the surplus fiancée arrived at the stage raised on the water's edge. A choral group of females obscured the words of the narrator by repeating important words just as they were spoke and the clumsy footwork of the performers suggested they were not well-rehearsed in the routine._

_As Beset busied herself in pestering other members of the audience as to what was occurring on stage Jielz strained to hear the narration, focusing more on the perturbed man delivering his lines with a scowl than the dancers displaying the action. Alzandar's eye was on the dancers, attracted to a poorly executed, but painfully familiar maneuver.  
_"_... did strike down the fleeing prince with a skillful swing..." The narration finally trickled through into Jielz's ear and with a sinking feeling low in his gut he wrapped a hand round Alzandar's arm.  
_"_Nannus." Jielz's softly spoken endearment yielded no response, the young man remained deathly still but for emotional tremors, "Their words are false, do not let them affect you." The flesh in the older man's grip slid free as Alzandar stepped away.  
_"_Alzandar?" Beset curiously called to her retreating fiancé. With downcast eyes the young man turned and fled.  
__When the young woman's worried eyes turned to Jielz he gestured to the performance, "A less than sympathetic account of the war with Nubia, containing scenes deeply offensive to Alzandar's sensitivities," He surmised sorrowfully.  
__There was a moment of silence as Beset's posture slowly sank, like a melting candle, before cursed quietly, her voice filled with self-loathing; "What have I done to anger the Gods so that they would place this curse of foolishness upon me? Shall I forever see the only men who truly care for me as only figures hurrying away into the darkness?"  
__With as many reasons as he had to dislike her Jielz could never truly comprehend why he held a small amount of affection for Beset, that affection and a burning desire to see Alzandar for himself made the scholar step forward, "We will find him," He insisted.  
_"_Track him through the city with no idea where he will go, just so I can offer up an apology he might not even accept?" The young woman questioned.  
_"_I suggest you try the temples, I will look elsewhere," Jielz replied, optimistic even in the face of Beset's negative assumptions, "If I find him I will send him to you," He added one final lie before abandoning her to find Alzandar for himself._

_As Beset left to explore the city, Jielz stayed close to the river's edge and headed for his home, hoping to find his young lover there. As he approached he was deeply relieved to see a silhouette in the shade of the tree where they had shared confessions of love on the day after their first kiss.  
_"_Alzandar?" Jielz called the younger man's name from a respectable distance, "May I speak with you?"  
__The sorceror stood up slowly and turned to face the older man, "If that is your wish."  
_"_Are you well?" Jielz inquired, approaching carefully.  
_"_I am a slave," Alzandar answered flatly, holding out his wrists to display the golden bracelets Beset had given to him for the festival, "My shackles are glorious but they bind me still."  
_"_You are a slave no longer, Alzandar." Jielz placed his hands upon the broad shoulders of the distressed man, seeking a way to calm him.  
_"_My Nubian blood flows through Egyptian veins now," Alzandar snarled, pushing the older man's coddling embrace away, "I sold my own body into slavery, for comfort and for love. I am more than a slave, I am a traitor to my land."  
_"_Why do you say these things?" Jielz demanded, voice trembling with miserable disbelief, holding himself as he could not hold the man he loved.  
_"_I intend to leave Egypt tonight," The younger man answered firmly. Jielz could not understand how Alzandar could speak so straightforwardly when the words alone made him feel weak with grief, "There are allies to Nubia in lands to the south. It may take many weeks but if I can get word to them they will have to aid us. If Nubia must be restored with a payment of Nubian blood I will offer mine without pause." The sorceror watched his despondent lover and felt heavy pangs of regret, "I tell you these things because I love you."  
__Jielz shook his head and held his tongue as tears flowed freely down his face. Alzandar's emotional barricades could not withstand and he pulled the older man into a tight embrace, letting him hide his teary eyes upon his shoulder, "Don't leave me," Jielz begged desperately, holding the younger man tightly.  
__The young man breathed deeply as his sense of duty wrestled with his heart, "I cannot promise I will not leave, but I trust you more than any other and so I shall tell you my full story before I go. Yet, it cannot be here. May we be together in your home one final time?"_

_Xander Harris's Apartment, Lounge.  
__Sunnydale.  
__California.  
__Winter, 2003._

Xander was sat inspecting the locket with an awe Rupert had not seen when the young man was dealing with the trinket before, "BC?" Xander questioned.  
"Roughly 1300BC, yes," Rupert repeated.  
"Jesus... or, y'know, not." Xander's lips twitched into a bemused smile briefly, "I knew it was old, but..."

The two sat in silence for a few moments before Xander placed the locket down on the coffee table and picked up the cards; he shuffled through them, picking out the cards they could now use as Witnesses. Rupert was glad to see that there were now at least half a dozen.  
"So, this... this might be it," Xander declared as he lay down the Accused cards.  
"It could be," Rupert agreed, sinking down to be sit on the floor, on the opposite side of the coffee table to Xander.  
The fortune teller reached for the first card before pausing with his hand hovering over his first choice, he looked up into Rupert's eyes and, receiving the confirmation he needed, turned the card, "'Mask'."

_Jielz's Home.  
__Dayl.  
__Sun Province.  
__New Kingdom._

_In the small front room of the scholar's home the couple sat, the air between them charged with tension. Jielz held himself proudly upright as he waited for the younger man to speak and again break his heart, his tense frame a result of his resolution to not present further weakness.  
_"_Love," Alzandar intoned, leaning forward so he could trace the Nubian word against Jielz's skin, "It saps our strength and clarity."  
_"_You speak with such hatred," The scholar scolded, "Yet I know the depth of your passions. Why have you turned from me?"  
_"_We look upon one another with eyes filled with love, I need you to see me as I am."  
_"_What am I meant to see beyond a man I adore?"  
__Alzandar shuffled backwards, "I need you to see me without my mask. I need you to know my true identity. Then you will know why I must leave..." The young man reached up and took the cord of his eyepatch in his fingers, "Before I abandon pretense I must let you know that the love I have now learned to loathe was never false." The eyepatch was removed and Jielz's found himself for the first time staring into the eyes of his lover.  
_"_That is...?"  
_"_The Royal Seal," Alzandar confirmed, bowing his head in shame.  
__Jielz placed his fingers under Alzandar's chin and tilted his face up so he could inspect the golden orb resting in the young man's empty socket, "You are royalty?"  
_"_I was Prince, with my family dead I am now heir to the throne," The young man agreed, "King of an enslaved land. Do you see now why I must leave?"  
_"_I do not see why you must leave now. What has hindered your escape since you came to Egypt?" Jielz demanded.  
_"_I was bought to Egypt in chains, leaving many of my men dead in the sands behind me, including my closest friend who had acted as decoy to spare my life. In those early days I had no way to plan an escape, but I was patient. When I met Beset she was kind to me and I wanted to return her kindness. Her plans to marry presented a way for me to attain higher status and find a way out of Egypt in that way... then I was sent to the library and met a man worth staying in Egypt for."  
_"_What has changed since that time, am I no longer worth staying for?"  
_"_If I had a hundred lifetimes I would spend ninety-nine of them with you and only use one to save my kingdom," The young Nubian declared earnestly, reaching for the scholar's hand and placing it to his cheek, "But I have this one life and I must spend it wisely. I cannot allow my own desires to result in my kingdom being lost to the desert sands for all eternity."  
_"_I have but one life too, and I would spend that life with you no matter the cost or consequence," Jielz pledged devotedly.  
__Alzandar had spent much time under the scholar's tuition, and learned much in that time; but there was one final question for him to ask, "What do you mean?"  
_"_I will accompany you on your journey, stay by your side for as long as I am able."  
_"_You would spill your Egyptian blood for the good of Nubia?"  
_"_Unquestioningly."  
_"_For what purpose?"  
_"_For you."  
_"_You would sell your body to my kingdom and I, as I sold myself to Egypt?" Alzandar questioned bitterly.  
_"_Not a slave," Jielz denied emphatically, "I would pledge my whole being to your service. I would be your loyal companion, informed scholar, true friend and honest love; never your slave."  
_"_Then you would be as true a citizen of Nubia as there has ever been," Alzandar replied, his voice betraying the emotional impact his lover's words had upon him.  
_"_Is there any ceremony that must be performed," Jielz teased with false interest.  
_"_Just one," Alzandar responded, leaning close to capture Jielz's lips in a kiss. The close held each other close throughout, letting the grief, rage and terror that had built-up throughout their tense discussion fall away gently like leaves from a tree, "Love may sap my strength and take the vision of my other eye, but I will bear those burdens gladly if I do not have to be parted from you."  
_"_The sentiment is returned, my King."  
__Alzandar thumped the older man's chest with his hand, "Do not mock me. Treat me as you did the young man who appeared to you in the library seeking knowledge."  
_"_Treat you as an insufferable pest, understood." Alzandar thumped Jielz again a little harder, but could not mask his relieved smile._


	10. Chapter 10

_Temple of Hathor._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_Jielz had promised to contact an associate in the wharf and find them passage on a southern bound ship that would deliver them safely out of Egypt much sooner than they would achieve on foot. The unfortunate clause to this plan being that they could not leave immediately. At first the young Nubian argued that they not follow the scholar's plan as he was eager to leave Egypt as soon as possible, but reluctantly agreed to wait until they knew the time of the ship's departure under the condition that they could leave freely if he decided it was too long to wait._

_Returning to the Egyptian home where he had served as servant and sorceror, Alzandar paused on the garden's threshold sending out a prayer to Ma'al that he would never again have to enter the household.  
Beset wallowed amidst the cornflower and poppies, rising lethargically when we saw Alzandar she approached with trepidation, "You have returned?" The hesitance in her voice betrayed her concerns at the possibility of the visit being short-lived._  
_Alzandar observed his uncommonly subdued bride, trying to find within him the same rage he felt towards her father and to the ignorant oppressors of her kingdom; yet as she stood before him looking genuinely penitent he could only recall the simple kindnesses she'd given when all others had paid him no heed, "I am back," He confirmed warily._  
_Alzandar had expected to see some relief on the young woman's face, some hope or optimism; but her features stayed as if carved from marble. She came closer, her footsteps carefully measured but her movements were best described as short, sharp jerks. Pausing before her fiancé, she hovered in his presence until he opened his arms, whereupon she fell into his embrace and broke down into sobs._

_As he soothed the woman he did not love Alzandar wrestled with guilt. The violent sobs of Beset were as equally strong as those of Jielz, inspired by a similar heartache. He had no wish to see Beset suffer with that misery; she was a tender but wounded creature, a butterfly with frail wings, and he did not want to be the one to damage her beyond possible repair._

_Leaving Egypt would devastate her, but if he could make her believe the love he was meant to feel towards her was true his disappearance would not be so unbearable. The wedding would be an affront to Hathor, a God whom Alzandar ignored and Beset was reputedly on bad terms with already. With that in mind the young Nubian accepted readily Jielz's news that they would be unable to leave Egypt by ship until the evening of the wedding day._

_The temple was grand, but during his education Alzandar had learned that exquisite murals and intricate mosaics were to be expected. It was also very open, the high-ceilinged ceremonial hall appeared out of scale to the small gathering there to witness the marriage. Alzandar wandered the room as the final preparations were made, taking in the sheer size and feeling a touch of sardonic mirth that such grandeur was being spent on a sham._

_The guests were almost exclusively friends and acquaintances of Beset's and because of this it was easy for Jielz to find Alzandar and speak with him alone._  
"_How are you?" The scholar inquired politely._  
"_Much better with you here," The Nubian responded. He cast an eye over his lover's appearance bemusedly, the scholar's robes were made from a rich, immaculate fabric and the lines around his eyes were masked under a subtle layer of Kohl, "As the only man here aware of the true nature of this wedding I did not expect you to dress so finely."_  
"_One has to maintain appearances," The older man replied wryly._  
_The priest in charge of the ceremony hurried towards them, wringing his hands._  
"_Young Sir," He addressed Alzandar nervously, "We have yet to receive word from your bride, has there been any indication from her as to when she will arrive?"_  
"_I am sure she will not tarry much longer," Jielz answered calmly, "Beset is almost always late."_  
"_If you are sure," The priest mumbled and politely left._  
"_On the subject of time-keeping," Alzandar opened the conversation broadly._  
"_I have calculated precisely," The scholar responded, not needing to hear the rest of the younger man's words to know the topic he was speaking of, "Amidst the joy of the celebrations no-one shall notice us leave, or become aware of our absence until we are many miles down the Nile."_  
_Alzandar smiled at the mixture of reassurance and frustration he could hear in his lover's voice, "If there were not so many here to witness it, I would kiss you."_

_Jielz had no opportunity to respond as at that moment the wandering attention of crowd was redirected to the entrance as the bride and her escort finally made their appearance. Femi, at the front of the procession, darted to Alzandar's side and gave a quick greeting; before pulling him across the hall to Beset's side._

"_Hello," Beset whispered, as the priest began directing the needed people to where they were to perform their duties and pushing everyone else out of the way._  
"_Hello," Alzandar whispered back._  
_Beset's lips lifted into a brief smile before dropping almost immediately, resuming the disheartened countenance she had been wearing in recent days. Alzandar's eyes wandered from the lilies in her golden curls, across the canvas of her face upon which many hours had been spent masterfully applying Kohl, rouge and malachite and down her slender neck and chest to the low, curved neckline of her simple, but stunning, dress. Despite her beauty, her resemblance to a muse or deity, it was her eyes that Alzandar stared at most._

_Her eyes were a mirror of his own. Empty of passion and love. Filled instead with sorrow and other painful emotions._

"_I..." Breath caught in her throat and Beset stopped, instead running trembly fingertips along Alzandar's bare arm, "I'm s-sorry." The Nubian opened his mouth to ask what, but the young woman had already stepped aside and he found himself facing her father, his former master. The sound of flesh striking flesh echoed throughout the hall, followed by startled cries from the guests and the loud thump of a full-bodied man falling to the ground._

_The priest was asking a question, but Alzandar did not hear. He lay still where he had fallen, holding a hand to the bitter stinging of his cheek and looking up at the man who had thrown the punch. A hand settled on his arm and although he did not turn to see the young man knew instinctively it was his lover, come to his aid._  
"_In the name of Ra," Jielz exclaimed, "What did you do that for?"_  
"_I am at war with this scum," Haunk replied casually._  
"_Have you taken leave of your senses?" The scholar demanded._  
"_I give you this one chance, friend. Stand aside or share in this boy's fate."_  
"_Will somebody please restrain this madman?" Jielz turned imploringly to the crowd, but found only scared or unwilling faces staring back at him._

_Unfortunately, Hanuk did not have the same problem in finding assistance. A group of fellows he had brought with him stepped in and separated the lovers, physically restraining them both._  
"_This man," Hanuk proclaimed, gesturing to Alzandar to direct the attention of the guests, "is dead."_  
"_He... He doesn't l-look dead," The priest argued, stuttering under the forceful glare of the man he was disagreeing with._  
"_I assure you, this is the dead prince of Nubia." Hanuk turned to again glare at Alzandar, "At least, he is meant to be dead."_  
"_Who told you these falsehoods?" Alzandar asked, trying to keep his voice steady._  
"_The words came from your own mouth," Hanuk replied, "...and they were passed along to me by my daughter."_  
"_I looked for you," Beset mumbled to Alzandar from where she stood behind her father, though she would not look at him, "When I could not find you I went to visit Jielz, hoping he may have found you as he said he would." Beset turned to look at the scholar but could not seem to hold his gaze either, "I-I heard you..."_  
"_Heard you plotting," Hanuk continued when his daughter's voice wavered, "Beset heard your plans to leave Egypt and spark a new war between us and Nubia, and she came immediately to me, telling me of your schemes so that I might stop them."_  
"_The word of your daughter is no evidence," Jielz argued._  
"_Then it is a blessing that we have evidence not even Osiris himself could deny," Hanuk replied flippantly._

_A fresh scream echoed throughout the hall of Hathor; a cry of rage, humiliation and little pain, as the forceful Hanuk pushed aside the eyepatch and prised the Royal Seal from Alzandar's eye socket._  
"_The Royal Seal of Nubia." Hanuk held it aloft triumphantly, "An artifact owned only by members of the royal bloodline."_

_Hanuk and a group of others moved away to validate the Seal and decide upon what further action should be taken. Jielz struggled free of his captors and hurried to his lover's side; the Nubian had slumped to the ground and was holding a hand to his violated eye socket and did not respond as the scholar embraced him. In his peripheral vision Jielz could see that Beset was watching them with genuine pity, but could not bring himself to acknowledge her._

"_We have reached a decision." It was not Hanuk to make the announcement, but instead a close friend of his who worked in the courthouse, "In light of this evidence it has been decided to avoid further conflict the prince and his associate shall be put to death."_

_Xander Harris's Apartment, Lounge._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Winter, 2003._

Rupert's skeptical beliefs were being pushed to the limit.  
"'Backstab'," Xander intoned as he flipped his next card. The book of meanings lay open beside him, but he did not turn to it. Near the beginning of the reading the two men had consulted the knowledge within its pages but had quickly begun to understand what the cards were saying without needing to check it.  
"'Stone'," Rupert flipped the next card without deliberation. He caught Xander's eye and they both acknowledged that the formerly contrary card now seemed to fit the pattern.

The air felt charged. The silence between them roared like a thunderstorm. Each card presented another part of the story, a story that Rupert had already read in 'The Sorceror's Love', one which seemed to have little chance of a happy ending given the few Witness cards left to turn.

_Tomb._  
_Dayl._  
_Sun Province._  
_New Kingdom._

_Bound in ropes, escorted by burly guards and the vengeful Hanuk and his meek daughter, the sentenced lovers were taken deep into the tomb. Alzandar looked at the smooth stone walls as they walked, aware that if he had not been caught displaying sorcery while still enslaved he would not have been sold into Hanuk's household and may well have been put to work building the tomb alongside other Nubian slaves; but with Jielz at his side he could not bring himself to regret the path he had walked and held his head high._

_The doors to two of the burial chambers stood open as they approached._  
"_We're to be buried separately," Jielz deduced, sounding deeply resigned._  
"_You would rather die with the two of you cramped into a space designed for one?" One of the guards inquired._  
"_I have no wish to die, but if I must I have certain preferences," Jielz sniffed in return._  
_The guard turned to question Hanuk, who was undoubtedly in charge of the execution; "I do not agree to his," Hanuk dismissed the query before it could be verbalized._  
"_Please," Alzandar meekly pleaded, "Is there not room for one small mercy?"_  
"_No," Hanuk declared bluntly._  
"_Father!" Beset's harsh tone shocked everyone. She had been quiet and withdrawn since the revelation in the Temple, but her manner had changed and she glowered at her father._  
"_Very well," Hanuk acquiesced, "If it is what they wish."_  
_As the guards untied the ropes binding Jielz and Alzandar, the Nubian looked at Beset for the final time. She smiled, her lips strained and thin but from the look in her eyes Alzandar knew it came from every heartfelt piece of love she had ever carried for him. He responded by a similar expression and in that moment, for the very first time; Beset and Alzandar knew the very core of one another._

_With the two lovers inside the burial chamber the door was closed behind them, sealing them inside. The chamber was built with enough space for an upright sarcophagus and the belongings one wished to carry to the afterlife with them, it was certainly not suited to hold two adult men._

_Jielz stood in the pitch darkness, aware of the younger man's presence by their bodily contact and by his heavy breathing, but he quickly forgot Alzandar was there. His mind was contemplating oblivion and the judgment of Osiris, his nerves were screaming and his muscles tense. He was brought back to awareness when it was Alzandar who snapped first._

_Jielz felt himself pushed back against the far wall as the Nubian screamed and suddenly their cramped coffin was filled with darting shadows as the sorceror threw conjured flames at the door, seeking freedom from their fate._  
_Jielz croaked quietly a few times before he managed to get the word out of his constricted throat, "Alzandar." His fingers brushed the bare shoulder of the berserk young man and at once the flames died._  
"_Jielz," Alzandar whispered in reply, though the word was perfectly audible in the small, enclosed space. The scholar felt Alzandar's body moving against his own and became aware that he had turned to face him, though they could not see one another; "I am sorry."_  
"_For what?" Jielz inquired, pulling the younger man close, using his tactile sense to compensate for his lack of sight._  
"_Your death," The Nubian replied as if that should be obvious, "I've caused your death."_  
"_It is not your direct doing," The scholar dissuaded._  
"_Perhaps not," Alzandar relented, "But if you had never met me you would not be in this situation."_  
"_If I had never met you, I would have lived ten more years; twenty with the grace of the gods, and I would never have known the joy you have brought to me. If, when I had first met laid eyes upon you I had prescience enough to foresee this occurrence I would not have acted any differently."_  
"_You cannot mean that."_  
"_I pledged myself to your service, Alzandar," Jielz reminded the younger man, "I promised I would follow you anywhere, even into death."_  
_The young man trembled in the arms of the man he loved, leaning up he kissed him with all the passion he could find within his soul, "I do not want to lose you," He whispered when they parted._  
"_Then I shall not leave," Jielz answered, holding the young man's hand to his cheek tightly, "If it takes a thousand lifetimes, I shall find you."_

_Xander Harris's Apartment, Lounge._  
_Sunnydale._  
_California._  
_Winter, 2003._

"'Promise'." As the last card was turned the locket on the tabletop began to glow. Xander and Rupert both watched in amazement as the metal burned red hot, then exploded. A psychic whisper of words spoken many millennia ago raced through the minds of the two young men, touching parts of themselves either hidden or repressed.

As the moment passed and the tension that had filled the room throughout the reading slowly dissipated Xander regained his composure and looked up, his eyes when they settled upon Rupert became wide with wonder and something approaching worship, "Jielz?"


End file.
